Paper
or Plastic — Best Practices
Packaging That Works
Modern
packaging’s essential services - product protection, transportation,
convenience, safety, hygiene, nutrition, spoilage prevention, information,
branding, merchandizing, theft-proofing, and regulatory compliance
- are widely acknowledged. These services should not be underestimated.
If a package fails to safely and adequately deliver its product,
even more resources can be squandered. One thing remains clear,
however. The overpackaged world we increasingly rely upon comes
at an ever-escalating cost. Profound reforms will require bold goals
and an acceptance of short-term investments in research and education.
With a balance between action and observation, and a commitment
to “try, monitor, adjust, and try again," change can
become a dynamic and energizing force.
An environmentally preferable package ...
- Is designed from a whole-systems perspective,
including its material sourcing, manufacture, distribution, and
ultimate disposal
- Is information-intensive as opposed to material-
and energy- intensive
- Contains no ancient forest fibers; if virgin wood
fibers are used, preferably they come from a known source or have
been certified by an independent, third-party sustainable forestry
organization
- Avoids hazardous chlorine compounds, heavy metals,
and other persistent toxins
- Can be reprocessed within local and regional resource
loops whenever possible
- Uses as few material types as possible and breaks
down into easily reusable or separable materials (designed for
disassembly)
- Contains as much post-consumer recycled or agricultural
waste materials as possible when appropriate
- Has been optimized through some form of life cycle
analysis to minimize resource extraction, energy and water consumption,
and manufacturing and transportation impacts
- Considers how a redesigned or reformulated product
can affect the amount of packaging needed
- Is only as large as it needs to be
- Is as light as possible without compromising product
safety
- Is responsibly produced throughout its entire
packaging chain
- Is safe for all species and habitats
- Can be refilled, reconstituted, eaten (even by
bugs), upcycled as a value-added product (such as a building material)
or have some other meaningful extended life
- Is derived from renewable biological and natural
systems as much as possible
- Complies with the highest current international
standards for packaging and Extended Producer Responsibility
- Attempts to close the gap between the life span
of its materials and the shelf-life of the product it packages
- Is packaged according to its particular delivery
system both to and from use
- Identifies all materials and components
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