The Plastic Packaging Conundrum

As a designer I have always tried to push for greater sustainability considerations in the design of a pack and generally prefer to use as little plastic as possible. As plastic packaging typically tends to be a more expensive option, it is also in the interest of many of our clients to use it only where necessary too. After all, plastic is money!

Despite my many years experience working as a packaging designer with an awareness of the relative merits of different pack formats and emerging new materials, even I admit that the overwhelming complexity of the sustainability challenge mean that the best material and production processes are not immediately obvious.

I recall attending a sustainability conference in Berlin a number of years ago where manufacturers representing both paper and plastic packaging suppliers were extolling the eco-benefits of their respective materials. Despite being surrounded by high profile industry professionals, it was unclear which material had better sustainability credentials when evaluated over the full lifecycle of the pack. The one thing I concluded from this experience was that you can’t simply say one material is universally better for the environment than another. It is a complex challenge to which there are few simple solutions and every product/pack requires a different approach.

I'll look at the relative sustainability merits of different packaging materials beyond plastics in a subsequent article. But for now, I have compiled a list of 10 sustainable plastic packaging solutions currently on the table, highlighting some of their benefits and contradictions. At the risk of sounding too pessimistic, it is hoped that they will help to illustrate the complexity of the challenge, and demonstrate the conundrum we face when selecting the right approach.

1. Bio plastics

Logic would suggest that plastics created from renewable organic resources rather than oil are a better long term option for the planet. However, the availability of land for agriculture is becoming more stretched to meet the demands of food production. As the global population expands, using land for crops such as corn or sugarcane to produce bio plastics could mean that we could be creating problems for food production elsewhere on the planet. Seeking endorsements from organisations such as the Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade, and clearly communicating this on the pack would allow consumers to base their choices on the ethical merits of these packs.

2. Biodegradable plastics

Plastic bottles, bags and films can take 100s of years to break down. Accelerating their degradation so that they can be used to fertilise the soil must be a good thing. Yet, biodegradable plastics can’t simply be thrown into our garden compost bin. They require specific conditions in commercial composters in order to breakdown into a useful product. Biodegradable plastics can be difficult to distinguish from petroleum based plastics and can actually contaminate well established sorting streams. They can also generate harmful greenhouse gases through decomposition if they accidentally make it into landfill, so clear labeling and better public information will be required to accompany the uptake of this route.

3. Compostable plastics

Quickly breaking packaging materials down into nutrient rich compost benefits the soil and removes packaging materials from government waste collection. In order to qualify as compostable a plastic must biodegrade by 90% within a few months, must be made of at least 50% organic materials and it mustn't leave behind any toxic residue. Not everyone has garden composting facilities and the volume of packaging waste produced by each household per year would produce an unmanageable volume of compost to practically use on a the average garden. Domestic indoor compostors are being developed which could deal with this material but might also require compost collection services, particularly in urban areas.

4. Edible packaging

The need to wrap cucumbers in plastic film or package a single pre-peeled orange in a clam pack is rightly considered unnecessary. Nature has provided perfectly good examples of protective edible skins in fruits etc so why not try to emulate this with packaging. The protection of food from contamination throughout transportation and storage is an essential function of packaging so consumers are unlikely to want to ingest an edible shell that could have been compromised at any point. As the pack itself also becomes a perishable element this solution could actually contribute to an increase in food waste. Edible packaging is likely to be a better option for take away food rather than off the shelf products.

5. Re-usable packaging

Packs that can be utilised beyond their primary use could mean that they are kept out of the waste management loop altogether. Although reusable packaging may work for occasionally purchased products, consumers are unlikely to continually find uses for high frequency consumables like yogurt pots for plant pots etc.

6. Recycled plastics

As more recyclable materials are kept out of landfill we will have a greater quantity of recycled plastics available to make new bottles. There is a danger, however, that as more manufacturers move towards increasing their percentage of recyclates in new bottles the availability of recycled PET becomes more scarce. The UK Plastics Pact target to ensure there is 30% average recycled content across all plastic packaging is great but relies on significant increase in the levels of plastic recovery and assumes that we continue making packaging out of the type of plastic we are seeking to replace!

7. Flexible packs

Moving from rigid packaging containers into flexible pouches means that we use less material to package the same quantity. However, flexible packs can not only be difficult to handle in production but by also consumers (particularly the elderly). They require more substantial transit/in-store packaging compared to their rigid packaging alternatives. The design of smart refill systems and changes in consumer behaviour would make these formats more viable.

8. Single Polymers

Many bottles, food trays and films are made of multi-layered materials which cannot be separated and recycled so we should only make plastic packaging from a single polymer. However, many of these multilayer materials have been specifically engineered to offer particular functional benefits such as great barrier properties that ensure longer shelf life. Shifting away from these high performing materials could require more material to create thicker walls, but they are also likely to reduce shelf-life and again increase food waste. More sophisticated recycling, not less sophisticated materials is likely to be the solution.

9. Deposit returns

There is a big drive to reduce litter and landfill through either taxation or reward schemes by offering a small cash sum to consumers who return their bottles and cans. Some evidence suggests that this could divert the more easily sorted and therefore more valuable materials away from our fledgling waste recycling industry in the UK. This could undermine the already established and effective kerbside collection and could be a backwards step in our journey towards more sustainable systems. Deposit return systems have proven to be successful in other countries so we could easily find a solution that accommodates all systems.

10. Product compaction

Reducing the size of the pack contents allows the size of the pack to be reduced too. Shipping less water or utilising transportation pallets more efficiently is not only good for the environment but makes good financial sense for manufacturers. However, consumer confusion could lead to underdosing or overdosing which can actually cause an increase in consumption, or create a health risk. Clever pack design, graphic communication and media support could all be employed to overcome the risks to this positive solution.

Sounds hopeless, so how do we move forward?

In the wake of the ‘Blue Planet’ effect, the UK is finally sitting up and taking notice of plastic/ocean waste with the public particularly keen to put their support behind solutions. A recent consumer survey revealed that 21% of us believe that we should opt for entirely petro-chemical plastic-free packaging. However, it would be naive to think that we could do without plastics in packaging completely or could easily migrate to the alternatives mentioned above.

There is no magic bullet to fixing the issue of plastic packaging waste but, as we have seen, having it high on the agenda the will undoubtedly help accelerate us towards better solutions.

Designers have a good understanding of consumers, brands and technical manufacturing constraints which mean that we are uniquely positioned to help navigate this minefield and offer an informed view on the trade offs.

Our researchers can provide deep insights into the consumer barriers and evaluate handling characteristics of new pack formats, our materials specialists can aid in the identification of the most appropriate material applications, our designers can ensure that the brand equities are maintained and the packs remain relevant and desirable, our engineers can work with material processors to ensure new designs are technically feasible. By looking at how we make and unmake EVERYTHING, we may actually be able to offer solutions that also make good business sense in the circular economy.

“Materials are our real wealth. Throwing them away makes us poorer”. Professor Mark Miadovnik

The announcement of the UK Plastics Pact is a welcome start to addressing the crisis we are facing and, hopefully, will trigger other countries to follow. As 60% of the plastic waste entering the world’s seas come from just 5 countries in Asia (compared to only 0.2% from the UK), our success in improving the long term prospects of the planet lies in our ability to change the consumption and disposal habits in parts of the world where we have less of a voice. The advantage of working with global brands is that we have a much greater chance of influencing change through smart design.