Green Packaging (int)

Food production generates a lot of residual material. In a SAVE FOOD research project, students have developed ideas regarding the matter.

Plastics have become a fundamental part of the packaging world. There is a broad spectrum of applications for polymers. In addition, they have a low weight, long shelf-life and can also be used in sensitive application areas like the food or pharmaceutical industry.

In December 2019, the European Commission unveiled their hitherto most ambitious plan: With the European Green Deal, the net emissions of all countries belonging to the European Union are to be reduced to zero by 2050. A circular economy is one of the most important components of this plan. The latest step of the EU Commission is a suggestion presented at the end of November for a Europe-wide packaging regulation.

Before 1950, the world was still almost free of plastic. Today, we encounter plastic everywhere. As a packaging material, it is no longer possible to imagine life without plastic due to its many advantages. The downside: It is well known that most plastic packaging is only used once and ends up in the rubbish afterwards. But the material is a valuable resource that is currently becoming even more valuable in view of supply bottlenecks and shortages of raw materials. Therefore, there is a lot to be said for recycling and the use of recyclates in packaging production.

Plastic or paper – which packaging performs better in a life cycle assessment? The answer appears to be simple. Plastic packaging produces mountains of rubbish and has fallen out of favour with consumers, whereas paper is perceived as very environmentally friendly. If you ask the life cycle auditors, there is no blanket answer, because to them both materials have benefits and drawbacks that need to be weighed up in each individual case. However, in the experience of environmental research and consulting company bifa Umweltinstitut GmbH, the results of life cycle assessments constantly lead to misconceptions. bifa has been working on this method for 25 years.

Beverage cartons consist of valuable raw materials that can be recycled. A plant near Cologne, Germany, has already proven that beverage carton recycling is technically possible as of last year. Now, two beverage carton manufacturers are assessing its feasibility in the Benelux countries together.