Better and more sustainable packaging with paper-based solutions

Smurfit Kappa wants to produce more sustainable, paper-based packaging solutions with its „Better Planet Packaging“ initiative. The company has already received three prizes for this at the World Packaging Organisation's World Star Awards.

1 July 2019

Cardboard packaging (Image: Smurfit Kappa/Mike Ellis)

Transport and sales packaging for food and pharmaceutical products should be classified as systemically relevant products in the context of containing the coronavirus pandemic. (Image: Smurfit Kappa/Mike Ellis)

Smurfit Kappa wants to produce more sustainable, paper-based packaging solutions. This is the aim of the „Better Planet Packaging“ initiative, which the globally active group launched last year. This endeavour has now been recognised with three World Star Awards for innovative and sustainable products.

The award in the prize competition of the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) was awarded to Smurfit Kappa for the dialysis kit „Not a drop wasted“, a E-commerce cardboard packaging, which can be transformed into a castle as a toy for children after delivery, as well as a Plastic-free packaging for car accessories. The packaging for the automotive sector in particular, which has been given the catchy name „Packed like sardines“, is a result of the Better Planet Packaging initiative, which aims to replace non-recyclable packaging materials with sustainable alternatives, writes the company.

Packaging solutions to be reconsidered

In the long term, Smurfit Kappa aims to produce all of the Packaging solutions and to avoid non-biodegradable waste through existing and new collaborations. „Better Planet Packaging is not a campaign against plastic, but rather an initiative against permanent, uncontrollable packaging residues,“ emphasises the world's leading manufacturer. Nevertheless, paper-based packaging should be prioritised in order to Plastic packaging to replace it.

„We are convinced that today's environmental problems should motivate us all to gain valuable new insights through research and development and to develop sustainable, innovative packaging solutions on this basis.“
Boris Maschmann, CEO of Smurfit Kappa Germany

Display

Clear Optimisation potential sees „Better Planet Packaging“ in the area of Consumer goods. This is because around 95 per cent of all plastic packaging worldwide currently ends up as waste after a single use. Especially when the packaging is made from different plastics, it is difficult to recycle.

Paper recycling plant (Image: Smurfit Kappa/Mike Ellis) — Especially in the consumer goods sector, packaging made from 100 per cent recyclable paper is more sustainable (Image: Smurfit Kappa/Mike Ellis)

Wrapping windscreens more efficiently with paper

Smurfit Kappa has Food sector has already switched from plastic trays to paper-based packaging in some areas together with the respective manufacturers. This has been successful for strawberry packaging, among other things.

Also in the Logistics industry and the processing industry, more sustainable packaging and packaging processes could be implemented. Together with Scania For example, more sustainable and cost-efficient packaging for Windscreens made from 100 per cent recyclable paper. It was important to replace packaging materials such as polystyrene and plastic while ensuring optimal loading within the current supply chain. According to Smurfit Kappa, the new design also resulted in a reduction of Packaging time by 72 per cent, a reduction in transport costs by half and annual savings of Savings of 300,000 euros.

[infotext icon]

Smurfit Kappa provides information about its „Better Planet Packaging“ initiative at a separate website. There you will also find numerous examples of more sustainable packaging.
[/infotext]