“The first step in a sustainable packaging program is to understand the environmental footprint of the package. Create a bill of materials and look at it not just from a production, cost, marketing, and user perspective, but also from weight and end-of-life value standpoints as well.”
Scott Vitter, Coca-Cola's Director of Sustainable Packaging in Packworld
More than ever, packaging professionals are looking for ways to decrease the impact the industry has on the environment. Two tools that can be used to evaluate the sustainability of package materials are the Life Cycle Analysis, and the Life Cycle Inventory.
A Life Cycle Analysis is a systematic, cradle-to-grave process that evaluates the environmental impacts of products, processes, and services. Its quality depends on the life-cycle inventory data it uses. An example of how it is used follows:
Environmentally Friendly Shirts Example*
The retailer who participated in this project was interested in developing an environmentally friendly range of shirts. The main questions asked were: Which phase in a shirt's life cycle produces the most pollution? Are natural or synthetic fibers environmentally preferable?
The environmental impacts of the shirts occurred during four phases:
1. Production (cotton growing, spinning and weaving, dyeing and finishing)
2. Transportation
3. Use (washing, drying, and ironing)
4. Disposal (reuse, recycling, composting, and incinerating).
The results showed that most of the environmental impact occurs during transportation to the retail outlet and during the use phase. For example, washing the shirts at 140°F (60°C) uses twice as much energy as washing them at 104°F (40°C). Synthetic or mixed textile fibers are environmentally preferable because they are easier to dry and iron, which further reduces energy consumption.
The Life Cycle Inventory gives a detailed analysis of all the material, energy use, solids, wastes, and air and water emissions over the complete life cycle of package. It includes raw materials, manufacture, usage, landfill, recycle, and reuse. A complete “footprint” of each and every packaging project can be examined to identify options that reduce environmental impact. The database is maintained by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and can be accessed at www.nrel.gov/lci.
*Adapted from Life Cycle Assessment: What It Is and How to Do It, United Nations Environment Programme Industry and Environment, Paris, France, 1996, p. 23.
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