Eco Packaging: The Most Demanding Clean Technology

Customers and investors are showing more interests in eco-packaging that save raw materials, avoid food waste and enhance recyclability. It has been evident in the recently concluded Cleantech Forum XXII in Copenhagen. Ecopackaging is set to become the next eye-catcher of the clean technologies world.

Packaging accounts for almost 10 % of the environmental impact of anything bought. In developed countries like the U.S. and UK, almost 30 % of food sold in stores is thrown into landfills without even being touched. It is a complete wastage of money and that waste is filling landfills too.

Sainsburys, a waste prompted UK grocery chain, has announced its plans to send all its food waste to biomass stations by the end of the summer in order to produce renewable energy. A number of other companies have started trying to extend the shelf lives of foods, decrease the dependency on petroleum-based plastics bags & packages, and reduce landfill waste, through the use of technologies like nanoparticles, bioplastics, recycled materials, and improved barriers. Also read Active & Intelligent Packaging: Innovations in Food Packaging Industry.

According to Hakan Grubb, CEO of Sweden-based Xylophane, “The need for sustainable packaging is obvious. It’s a regulatory requirement in some places, but we also see consumer demand for it.” Xylophane have developed a barrier material for packaging that decreases food waste by enhancing shelf lives.

Though this sector has started attracting some attention but it still is far away from being recognized. There is big volume of plastics involved everywhere so the market is quite large but the sustainability packaging market’s share is absolutely minimal. Since the field is still in its infancy stage there’s no silver bullet that has emerged. A number of new materials are still in development stage and according to panelists, each advancement needs to be minutely studied for the effects from its creation to disposal. The most important thing is that it has to be as good in terms of barrier properties and should not be more expensive than what it’s replacing.

However ecopackaging companies are not likely to get any premium on their products because consumers and manufacturers aren’t willing to pay extra to be green. Consumers too aren’t likely to adopt ecopackaging if it appears less attractive than what they’re used to. Most of the traditional biodegradable packaging don’t look very good. It has to be at the same level, if not more, because for the user it is a statement of quality.