Sustainable packaging
A true RECYCLABLE PACKAGING is sustainable in every part of it, from design to production, as well as decoration. It should also be designed in a way that facilitates disposal both by the end customer and by the industrialised recycling system.
Using recycled plastic “only ensures” that the packaging is produced with plastic material that has not involved oil extraction as it derives from already used plastics, however this does not guarantee the future recyclability of the post-consumer packaging.
Packaging, in order to be recyclable even post-consumer, must have technical characteristics that facilitate its recyclability and in this delicate phase, the choices of the final packaging user company come into play. In order to study a packaging that is correctly recyclable post-consumer, it is fundamental to know in detail the functioning of the recycling phase.
SELECTION PHASE
In the specialized center, after a first phase of collection, sorting and rough cleaning of the material, the screening begins: in this phase the packaging is separated:
- from contaminants (small residues of soil, glass, stones, etc.)
- rigid materials from flexible ones
- by type of plastic
- by color
These processes are carried out by NIR infrared and optical detectors with final control of the flows generated by specialized operators.
RECYCLING PROCESS
The material, screened and divided into more or less detailed flows according to material type and color, is:
- shredder
- washed
- separated
- dried
At this point, the material produced is ready to be introduced into the production system as recycled material. The characteristics of this chain (updated to 2021 by COREPLA) give us important planning indications to facilitate, optimize and streamline the recycling of plastic packaging.
Let’s now see in detail what needs to be done in order to create a packaging that maintains the characteristics of post-consumer recyclability.
Residues and emptying
Choosing ergonomic shapes that help emptying, improves the overall assessment of environmental preferability: less contaminating residues are left behind (which in the recycling phase require more washing cycles, more water and detergents) and an excessive weight of residues can compromise waste sorting operations.
Color
Pigmentation and the use of colorants are essential factors: in particular, polymers pigmented with very dark colors or black are difficult to identify by optical detectors.
Decoration
If you are not using inks that can be removed by the traditional washing process, it would be better to avoid direct printing on transparent or non-pigmented plastic. On colored packaging, however, direct printing should be preferred to using glues or labels.
Labels or sleeves
Do not completely cover the body of the packaging as this may affect the reading of the optical detectors and try to use labels or sleeves with the same material as the body. Use water-soluble glues. Do not use water-soluble colors.
Surface treatments
They can alter the correct reading of the material of the optical detectors during recycling, so it is recommended to use treatments only on a part of the surface and with reduced thickness.
Complementary components
Make components (closures or gaskets) of the main body (jar or bottle) that weigh less than 20% of the total weight of the package. Make components separable from the body.
Closures
Use closures made of the same material as the main body and preferably non-pigmented. Use closures that are completely separable from the body.
Sustainability for your brand also
It is important to communicate your green choices to the final customer, every little detail, even those implicit in the realization of the packaging that are there but go unnoticed or those that we can design together respecting your aesthetic needs. This dialogue will improve your brand reputation by strengthening the trust between you and your consumers.
This should not be underestimated because being eco-friendly is now a necessity, and the real strength of these strategies is given by the synergy of actions between producers, customers and final consumers.
