Bryce Hedditch, Packaging Technologist MasterFoods Australia is using SPA’s Materials Selector and says, that “having hard data available, which is independently researched, is invaluable in making informed business decisions. SPA’s material selector is a good first step in assisting us do better for the environment”.

The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) has developed its first generation Packaging Materials Selector to provide easily accessible and useful information on packaging materials and their environmental impact within the Australian context. The Packaging Materials Selector has many uses in corporate environments, training and education, and public and consumer awareness. For packaging and environmental managers it is being used to assist in evaluating and communicating differences in packaging materials, their different impacts on environmental issues and communicating the need to change materials and packaging design to improve packaging in line with more environmentally sustainable outcomes. The Packaging Materials Selector is also helping companies to understand, communicate and respond to recent changes in Australia’s National Packaging Covenant.

More than a number or a logo

Most Australians are aware that most rigid plastics packaging includes a numerical code on the base to identify which polymer it is made from. The Plastics Identification Code is designed to assist local councils and recyclers to educate householders about the types of plastic packaging which should be placed in their recycling bin. This is important because only selected polymers (particularly PET, HDPE and PVC) are currently collected for recycling by the majority of Councils (i.e. numbers 1-3).

These codes, although useful for identification purposes, are limited in their use. Packaging materials are constantly changing due to innovation targeted at improving packaging functionality and performance and reducing the cost of manufacture. A more recent and accelerating trend is the use of renewable and biodegradable polymers. The Plastics Identification Codes need to be revised to deal with these new materials and technologies (e.g. multi-material laminates) in the context of available recovery systems. In addition the code currently only applies to plastic packaging materials.

Differing life cycle impacts

Different material types have different functional features and performance properties and vary in impacts on the environment, making direct comparisons and debates about materials complex. For example some bio-degradable polymers utilise renewable resources such as corn starch, but if they end up in landfill because there is no composting infrastructure and downstream use, they will degrade and contribute to greenhouse gas generation. On the other hand, clear polyethylene terephthalate (PET) uses non-renewable resources but is recyclable. While limitations exist in using recycled PET in food packaging applications, the use of recycled content in PET packaging is increasing through improved reprocessing technologies. In Australia, PET has the highest recycling rate of any plastics (although low compared with paper and cardboard) e.g. currently around 35%.

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool developed to characterise the environmental impact of products including their material components from cradle to grave i.e. from the sourcing of raw materials through to end of life waste management. Life cycle impacts of packaging materials are reflected in indicators such as embodied energy, greenhouse gas generation and eco-toxicity. Environmental decision-making on packaging systems must include consideration of the life cycle impacts of its composing materials which often requires trade-offs between different environmental impacts of the materials and the functional performance (including safety) of the packaging system. The longer-term challenge for packaging development and innovation is the simultaneous reduction of all materials environmental impacts as well as environmental impacts resulting from the use of the packaging system, whilst retaining or improving functional performance.

The Packaging Materials Selector

The Packaging Materials Selector has been developed to provide easy reference information on the main packaging materials, such as mainstream polymers, glass, metals and fibre based packaging materials, to aid in the understanding of the different functional characteristics and environmental impacts of packaging materials. The first generation version identifies a preliminary set of indicators or information that are important for environmental decision-making for selecting materials (e.g. embodied energy, recycling rate, recyclability constraints and landfill impacts). In future generations of the Packaging Materials Selector, SPA intends to further develop and refine these indicators, expand and diversify the materials covered and provide updates on specific indicator details as current practice changes.

In addition to the materials information, the Packaging Materials Selector is an easy reference for definitions of terms e.g. degradable polymers, embodied energy, and list of useful references, including weblinks and environmental logos.

Using the Packaging Materials Selector

The Packaging Materials Selector is an ideal tool for building understanding and awareness of packaging sustainability and breaking down the communications barriers between different business units or operating divisions within organisations e.g. between environmental managers, technology managers and brand managers. SPA itself has used the Packaging Materials Selector in its Sustainable Packaging Training courses and as part of its in-house training for individual organisations.

For packaging technologists and environmental managers it assists also in materials decision making as well as aiding to support culture change and commitment to packaging sustainability. Bryce Hedditch, Packaging Technologist of MasterFoods Australia one of Australia’s leading food and pet food companies is a regular user of the Packaging Materials Selector. See the insert for Bryce’s views of the selector.

For educators the Packaging Materials Selector provides useful and readily available information to introduce students to the functional and environmental issues relating to packaging materials.

Purchase information

The Packaging Materials Selector is available in a Laminated A3 colour poster format. For more information and details to purchase your copy download the order form at http://www.sustainablepack.org/database/files/MatSelect%20order%20form%20_final_june05.pdf or enquiries@sustainablepack.org

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