Can you imagine a world without plastics? Use of this material is ingrained into our daily lives. It’s everywhere. Plastics are in our packaging, clothing, furniture, cars and more. Unfortunately it’s also found in soil, rivers, oceans and even our food.
Use of plastic packaging continues to grow because it is durable, lightweight, versatile and cost- effective. However, products and materials that have been successfully used for many years can become social pariahs. These days, it seems, the use of plastics in packaging is coming under increasing scrutiny.
Plastics have considerable environmental impact. While most plastics can be recycled, many people don’t make the effort. The wide variety of resins used in packaging— often in combination —can complicate recycling efforts. Most people can’t identify the resin used unless the package has recycling prompts. One of the biggest concerns is that most plastics are not biodegradable. Consequently, plastics continue to build up, contaminating the environment and damaging food resources.
Pressure is on to either stop using plastic, change the types of plastic being used or make sure the material is easily biodegradable or recyclable. What is the industry to do? Several global consumer packaged goods companies have recently announced plans to make their packaging 100 percent reusable, recyclable or compostable within the next few years. One major U.K. retailer has gone even further, announcing that by 2023 it aims to have eliminated all plastic packaging from its store brand products.
These are noble goals indeed. Surely, they can only be achieved through collaboration across the industry. Use of some types, such as polystyrene, may be eliminated altogether. Single-resin structures with enhanced barrier properties and transparency may be developed. But a world without plastic? Not likely.
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JOHN KALKOWSKI
Packaging strategies
March 2018
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