Carton, Board & Paper Cartonboard packaging industry leading
sustainablility efforts By Tony Hitchin, general manager of Pro Carton, the European Association of Carton and Cartonboard Manufacturers
Packaging is an important element of the
marketing mix and plays a much wider role than just protecting the product. It is a key promotional tool that can enforce the identity that is inextricably linked to a brand – but it doesn’t need to leave any lasting damage on our planet. Corporates and consumers can still do more to protect the environment by thinking about the start and end of life for packaging materials, which is where the 5Rs comes in. The new 5 Rs of Responsibility, as
developed by Pro Carton, includes implementable steps for consumers, brand owners, retailers, manufacturers and government to help reduce the impact packaging waste has on the environment, adding Renew and Replace to the already well-known Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
THE 5RS OF RESPONSIBILITY The updated 5Rs are: Renew: By choosing packaging materials
that are truly renewable - cartonboard is the ultimate example - brands can improve their environmental credentials plus take those all-important steps to achieve the circular economy. Replace: There is a vast range of paper based packaging materials available on the market now that are both renewable and biodegradable. Brands can replace materials that may damage the environment with ethical alternatives, without impacting brand equity and on-shelf appeal. Reduce: An efficient way to help the
between industry and brand manufacturers as they look for sustainable solutions. Certainly, members of Pro Carton – the
G
European Association of Carton and Cartonboard manufacturers, are experiencing heightened demand for cartons and cartonboard as industry and brand owners seek sustainable alternatives to unrecyclable packaging. And cartonboard is the most sustainable
of packaging materials: it is renewable and biodegradable – made using trees that grow in sustainably managed forests, and truly recyclable. In fact, around 85 per cent of paper and cardboard packaging is
30 June 2019
rowing interest in cartonboard packaging is helping to drive innovation and new partnerships
recycled in Europe (the highest rate ever recorded) according to Eurostat, and new research from TU Darmstadt suggests that paper fibres can be recycled around 25 times.
All of this is, of course, set against a backdrop of changing consumer attitudes as a result of ever-deeper understanding of the long-term effects of environmental pollution. Across Europe, 52 per cent of shoppers rated cartonboard as the most sustainable packaging material – ahead of glass selected by 32 per cent of survey respondents . The same study also revealed that two thirds (68 per cent) of Europeans (67 per cent in the UK) claim being environmentally-friendly is now more or very important to them, while 69 per cent claim to be recycling more than they were just 12 months previously.
environment is to reduce waste all together. Packaging manufacturers have long adopted a philosophy to minimise packaging both to reduce costs and minimise the impact on the environment. Reuse: Reusable or returnable packaging
is designed to be used many times, offering significant benefits in terms of sustainability. Recycle: Packaging doesn’t need to cause harm to the environment. The solution is to improve recycling rates. To do this, manufacturers need to ensure all packaging is recyclable, while governments need to regulate and standardise recycling services available to both consumers and businesses. These additional steps represent a guideline that enables society to take responsibility for its actions - reducing the levels of packaging waste and moving towards a truly circular economy.
procarton.com
convertermag.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
