Is there a chance that your grandchildren will be collecting the litter that you made? The lifespan of many common packaging materials exceed several human generations.
When making decisions about packaging materials, companies and customers are becoming increasingly aware of the ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’ mantra. Government bans and taxes on single-use plastic packaging have also shifted the preference towards more sustainable packaging materials. However, have you ever considered the likely lifespan of your choices? Could your packaging outlive you?
Packaging Finds
Teams of volunteer litter pickers dedicate time to collecting a properly disposing of rubbish left on the UK’s beaches, streets and parks. The sheer volume of waste they find is shocking, but most surprising of all is the age of some items.
There are regular stories of crisp packets, drink bottles and sweet wrappers being found which date back 50 years. For example, an intact Quavers wrapper found in Poole dated 1975 and several wrappers found on a Norfolk beach that included the price in shillings.
Could it be that the packaging coming out of your factory this week will survive longer than any members of your team?
Decomposing Rates of Packaging Materials
When making decisions about packaging materials, it is useful to know how long they are likely to be around.
Glass Bottles & Jars
Glass is the longest-lasting packaging material and many scientists believe it never decomposes. Fortunately, glass can be reused and is widely recycled. The important factor in glass recycling is to separate coloured and clear bottles and jars.
Plastic Bottles and Containers
Plastic bottles and other hard plastic packaging are believed to take approximately 450 years to decompose. When you consider that 7.7 billion single-use plastic bottles are sold in the UK each year and only 61% are recycled*, that is a considerable build-up of waste. Your hard plastics won’t just outlive you, they will still be around for 20 generations of your family.
Aluminium Cans and Wrappers
Aluminium cans can take up to 200 years to decompose. However, this is a widely recycled and infinitely recyclable material. When disposed of properly, the same aluminium supplies could theoretically provide your packaging for as long as your business keeps trading.
Foam Inserts
Foam inserts are great for protecting goods, yet, this packaging material takes half a century to decompose. There are plenty of biodegradable alternatives on the market now, which offer a sustainable alternative.
Cardboard Boxes & Paper Packaging
Cardboard boxes are biodegradable and typically take 2 months to decompose. Paper packaging, which isn’t coated with adhesive or vinyl finishes will break down in 2-6 weeks. However, these are among the most widely recycled packaging materials and fibres can be reused 7-12 times.
Plant-based Packaging Materials
Finally, like paper, plant-based packaging materials including seaweed, mycelium, corn starch and rice also decompose in a few weeks.
Sustainable Packaging Materials
So, it isn’t just about the choices you make today, it’s about the future impact. Will your grandchildren be collecting the packaging that you make today? To prevent this, it’s time to question if your chosen packaging material is easy to recycle or will quickly decompose. And, wherever possible, let’s avoid any single-use packaging that is likely to outlive you.
As cardboard packaging specialists, we can help you switch to non-plastic packaging. We also advise on:
- Minimising packaging volume.
- Manufacturing boxes with a high percentage of recycled content.
- Designs that promote packaging reuse.
- Finishes that ensure the boxes remain 100% recyclable.
- Alternative to plastic-based fillers.
If you would like to find out more about sustainable packaging options, please call 01296 436888 or email enquiries@abcbox.co.uk.
