Box clever to minimise waste

Each year in the UK, it is estimated that packaging production could be generating a carbon footprint equal to London's entire annual CO2 emissions. And it is not only the supermarkets and big name retailers which need to take action on packaging - there is huge potential for manufacturers of all sizes and sectors to reduce the amount of raw material going to waste. The positive news is that companies are already recovering and recycling as much as 60% of their used packaging each year. This is largely due to two key legislative drivers which prompt companies to minimise and optimise packaging. The Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulations dictate that packaging volume and weight in the UK market is limited to the minimum amount that is absolutely necessary. Secondly, the Producer Responsibility (Packaging Waste) Obligations require manufacturers with a turnover of more than £2 million, and which handle more than 50 tonnes of packaging a year, to take responsibility for recovering 70% of this packaging by 2010. From a purely commercial perspective, there is more good news as those companies working towards regulatory compliance can identify valuable cost savings hidden in excess packaging. For example, Northants-based manufacturer Belkin has identified a way to halve the packaging requirements of one of its popular product lines. The company, which produces peripherals and connectivity solutions for computer and consumer electronics, examined the way it was packing a wireless network card. Working with Envirowise's cleaner design specialists, Belkin has developed a replacement design which reduces the overall volume of the packed product by 50% - cutting material usage and presenting potential cost savings of as much as £680,000 per year. The European Regulatory Compliance team at Belkin is now in discussions with senior management to get this prototype into production. The result would be significant reductions to environmental impact, saving an estimated 18 tonnes of paper and 2.4 tonnes of plastic within a year, not to mention reducing annual CO2 emissions by more than 100 tonnes. Crucially, it would also double the company's transport efficiency and enable retailers to place twice as many products in the same shelf space - with real commercial benefits. One of the most effective ways for other manufacturers to take similar steps is by adopting a systematic approach to packaging design. It will require a close working relationship with the packaging suppliers, or in-house design team, to ensure that packaging waste is being eliminated as far as possible before the product even leaves the drawing board. It is also advisable to take steps to improve communication with the wider supply chain to help ensure areas such as transit packaging are kept to a minimum. But let's look more closely at the areas beyond the design phase. There are ten key considerations which can be incorporated with the aim of improving the environmental impact of packaging over its entire lifecycle - from raw material selection, through to manufacture, distribution, the use of packaging and eventually its final disposal. These guidelines can help determine the areas that give scope for the greatest cost savings. Raw materials l Use less material: Using less raw materials at the beginning of a process has knock-on benefits in terms of reducing transportation costs and volume of waste at end-of-life. It is often possible to eliminate excess materials without compromising quality by gaining a better understanding of the packaging requirements. For example, using larger pack sizes where demand permits can reduce the amount of packaging needed per unit and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/ CAM) systems can help when planning pack layouts. There are also opportunities to minimise costs associated with raw materials. Eliminating or replacing hazardous substances, such as solvents and inks, coatings and paper bleaching chemicals, can facilitate re-use at end-of-life and minimise disposal charges. l Use materials with less environmental impact: Using renewable and recyclable materials can reduce resource depletion. There are particular opportunities to integrate recycled plastics, glass and paper within industrial packaging, and food packaging, using layers of virgin product where necessary. Manufacture l Use resource-efficient manufacturing techniques: Manufacturing processes that use fewer materials, energy, water and other resources can reduce the adverse environmental impacts of production and increase efficiency. This can be achieved by switching to materials that create less waste or reduce energy consumption, or through simplifying design. For example, adhesives with low melting points and lower sealing temperatures for films can help minimise energy use. l Reduce process waste: Changing pack shapes to produce less waste in production, or designing the shape of materials to make them easier to machine or mould, can generate less waste and improve environmental performance. Distribution l Reduce the impacts of distribution: Choosing packaging shapes and distribution pack sizes that maximise pallet use and transport efficiency, ideally ensuring these are an exact fit for standard pallet sizes, can reduce distribution costs. Use l Use fewer resources: Opportunities often arise to downsize packaging to make it lightweight as well as durable. Corrugated plastic or double-wall board both offer possible alternatives to solid plastic or even steel plates, and offer the added advantage of being collapsible, and therefore easier to transport. l Cause less waste: It is worthwhile making use of materials that can be washed and cleaned if marked, and ensuring that boxes are easy to open and close to facilitate handling. Readily collapsible packaging can also help minimise the impact of transportation. Another simple yet effective method is to use removable label attachments, which will prevent 'sticky marks' from being left on the box so that packaging can be re-used or easily recycled at end-of-life. l Optimise functionality and service life: Giving the product a longer service life can eliminate the need for additional resources to achieve the same task, thereby reducing production, delivery and disposal costs. Equipping modular and repairable packaging with replaceable sections can extend the product lifecycle, and reinforcing existing packaging by strengthening edges or laminating materials can help turn a one-trip box into a reusable system. End-of-life l Make re-use and recycling easier: At the end-of-life, there may be opportunities for packaging to be re-used or recycled, which will reduce raw material use and divert items away from limited landfill space. For this to happen, packaging needs to incorporate the requirements of subsequent uses at the design stage. For instance, re-using packaging may necessitate extra durability and the introduction of a re-use system, while certain raw materials may need to be specified to ensure packaging can be easily recycled. l Reduce the environmental impact of disposal: Finally, if packaging is to be thrown away, businesses should build in biodegradability and eliminate the use of hazardous materials to help lessen environmental impact and minimise the cost of disposal. Jenni Rosser is packaging specialist for Envirowise