Bioplastics

First, your comments about bioplastics are well taken. In many cases, it takes more energy to create them, and they produce more GHGs, than their fossil-fuel based counterparts. Also, they can only be composted in industrials facilities, of which there are very few currently operating in the US.

The answer to your second question must start with a question of its own: what is the specific application that is being considered? Once key issues relating to containment, preservation, functionality, protection, and convenience are answered, you can then compare packages/materials on an LCI basis. One thing to keep in mind is that part of the role of packaging is to ensure the ability to safely consume or utilize 100% of the product it contains. This is because in general the product accounts for over 90% of the environmental impact.

Here's an easy to understand example: If so-called "sustainable" packaging were used to transport expensive and resource-intensive 60" flat screen TVs and allowed significant damage to occur, a better solution, both economically and environmentally, would be a more standardized paperboard/foamed plastic container. This is why you must understand container, content, and context in order to make such a decision.

Bob Lilienfeld

Bioplastics

Good comments Kitt and Bob. I work for a bottled water company. We are getting numerous questions from customers wanting us to look at Bioplastics to replace plastics (bottles, cups etc.). I have two questions on what real benefit a Bioplastic brings to the table:

1. Is it better to compost or recycle? If bottles degrade, we cannot recycle - therefore loose the material forever. Claims from Bioplastic companies that their materials can be recycled also seem to be unsubstantiated - especially in any comercial size environments. After talking to some recyclers, they are concerned and at this time do not have a clear picture of what will happen to the quality of the PCR resin if/when Bioplastic materials start hitting the recycle stream in any large quantity.

2. The basis of most Bioplastic resins is food (corn) based. What will happen to the global food supply if/when these Bioplastics start competing with food supplies. What happens if there is an overall down grain production year?

I would love to have an overall picture and answer to our customers to determine if Bioplastics are a good thing or will cause more problems to the global environment. It does not fit into any of the big three R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Bioplastics

DavidPadula

Owner, p design lab

Industry: Non-food

Location: Los Angeles, CA, United States

Role: Packaging Materials Supplier

Kitt,
The comments from Bob and John are very valid and to echo them a bit… Bioplastics do fill a niche, depending on the product they are being designed around, but they are currently not the solution across the board for all food / traditional packaging.

Because of the current broad range of bioplastics and bio packaging solutions on the market (sugar cane board, potato starch trays…etc) I feel it helps to really narrow your scope back down the specific item you are designing for. For example, some bioplastics have a very low melt point (just over 100 degrees F) and if your packaging is going to sit on a truck being transported to retail across the country, in the summer, you’ll have a serious melt problem on your hands by the time the truck hits the unloading dock.

By first defining the item and mapping its current supply chain path a bit, the next step should be to then combine that map with your client or customer’s marketing goals and needs (from a branding and sustainability standpoint).

Once you’ve done that little bit of legwork up front, it really does help you to navigate all the current bioplastic options and solutions on the market, to hopefully find the best fit for your item / package... bioplastic or not.

Hope that helps,
David

Take the load off Packaging

Dean Bellefleur

President, D-Idea

Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Role: Consultant

Well Kitt there is no single solution to the sustainable food packaging debate nor will there be. One question you have to ask yourself and then direct it to management concerns the nature of the products being packaged. Are the products worthy of the package? I’m sure you are familiar with the term belly wash, “a beverage with zero nutritional value”. How is it that belly wash products make it to the shelf, the packaging has a greater value than the content? Think of the number of containers that not only would be diverted from landfill but eliminated from production by justifying the product.

Shelf life is an attribute of packaging that requires re-examination as well. To engineer packaging that can sit on a shelf for 12 months without spoiling when retailers are constantly replenishing stock sounds like specification overkill. In particular, staple products surely don’t justify such a prolonged shelf life. Tailoring the packaging specifications to meet actual consumption cycles would result in light weighting of the packaging creating a win/win situation. Tons of plastic, aluminum and steel salvaged.

Let’s consider milk containers in North America for a moment. Typically one finds gable top cartons and plastic jugs. Think about substituting with plastic pouches that are purchased as a refill for a hand held jug. Let’s face it milk belongs in the refrigerator, out of sight and harm’s way, why provide such a robust container as a jug or carton? Distribution possibly but how is it that as fragile as eggs are they don’t warrant a more robust carton? Could it be that the handlers have altered their behavior to accommodate? In fact lets go one step further and have dispensing stations built into all refrigerator doors that accommodate milk pouches.

Concentrates thanks to the Wal-Mart score card have gained support and popularity with the consumer. The ripple effect is positively infectious throughout the value chain, everyone wins. Voluntary scrutiny of what is being packaged, light weighting where possible and practical functionality were just a few pointers to simulate your thoughts on how to reduce the demand for packaging. Consider these actions as the first phase to source reduction.

Many Thanks All for the valueable comments

Hi Bob, John, David and Dean,

Thank you very much for your comments. I can have a clearer view as a whole picture of bioplastics. I also agree that material reduction is a first thing to do. As for the bioplastics, it is still the burden for food packaging that need to be microwave or oven heating. Since it's failure in heat stability. Also, there are some misleading ecofriendly material available, too. Like, oxodegrable plastic which is also in the debate on its pros and cons.

It is quite interesting to have technical discussion like in this web. Very interting to know all the experts in this world. Very pleased to meet you all. May a throw another comment that I put in 'material health' topic, but seems that not so many in there. Next is the food safety issue.... below...

Dear Experts,

As far as I know from the regulation, the migration test is mainly for plastic type packaging. Then, how can we conduct such test on paper / paperboard packaging with or without film laminated. Can the test condition may dissolve the fiber as well. Hence, how can we ensure the food safety issue on the paper packaging. This may include ink components migration. Especially, there has been 2 cases of photo-initiators migrated from paperboard packaging.

Many Thanks,
Kitt

Red Die Test

Dean Bellefleur

President, D-Idea

Location: Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Role: Consultant

Kitt my career was with the Tetra Pak group so I can answer your question as it pertains to laminated paperboard. The aseptic carton is actually a polycoated container constructed of 3 different materials (Polyethylene ,aluminum foil and paperboard) in 6 layers.

Polyethylene forms layers 1, 2, 4, and 6. Layer 1 is in contact with the food and the 6th layer is the exterior of the carton. Layer 3 is aluminum foil and the 5th is the paperboard.

To test for migration caused by either stress cracking or pin holes or delamination a red die is used which will penetrate the minutest of holes. This is a destructive test.

Hope this helps you.

Bioplastics Eco Profile

Kit,

I recommend that you visit the NatureWorks LLC website at www.natureworksllc.com under the views and values section. You will find information on the eco profile of Ingeo (tm), NatureWorks LLC's bioplastic. You will see that then comparing to other food packaging plastic resins, this bioplastic uses less non-renewable based fossil fuels, emitts less green house gases and uses less water. This eco profile is generated by a third party, vetted through industry professionals and includes the entire process from farming to factory gate. Keep in mind the vision is to use biomass, not a food based crop. There is also a life cycle assessment (LCA) that compares Ingeo to rPET. You will see in these areas again the bioplastic has the lower enviromental footprint. Your questions are valid and it is great that you ask the questions of the industry as it is important to support claims with vetted third party data. This data gives you the tools needed to make better decisions!

Good Luck!!

Need to dig deeper

Humberto Garcia

Packaging Manager Environmental Sustainability, Unilever

Industry: Personal Care

Location: Trumbull, CT, United States

Role: Packager

Kitt,
You already got great comments from many, but I thought I would add to the conversation.
The area of biopolymers can be confusing and it's evolving quickly.
Bob Lilienfeld pointed out that packaging is usually a small contributor to the overall environmental impact of a product. This is key because packaging has important functions to protect, preserve, transport, etc. The implication is that a lot more can be done for the environment by focusing on the 90%. Similarly, as consumers we could do more for the environment by composting our food waste, using reusable water bottles, making our homes energy efficient, etc.
However, packaging is visible and often perceived as waste and even though packaging gets more than its fair share of pressure, the packaging industry is energized by the idea of making packaging more sustainable and good things are happening.
When researching biopolymers, there are many details that need to be understood. There are bio-based polymers that are identical to oil-derived plastics, like Polyethylene made from sugar cane. Not all biopolymers are biodegradable, and there is also a distinction between biodegradable and compostable. Industrial composting facilities are not common, and the lack of a collection infrastructure (for both organic waste and packaging) makes the idea of compostability very difficult.
As a consumer, I would worry that a biodegradable packaging containing additives, inks, coatings, etc will put undesirable chemicals in my compost. Not to mention that biodegradable polymers don't contribute with nutrients to the compost, so the value is questionable.
Renewable packaging (like paper) has certainly many benefits: forests capture CO2, provide habitats, protect the land from other uses, etc. But think what happens when forests are not managed properly.
Biopolymers that come from food sources should be evaluated with care to include not only the greenhouse gases, but the full impacts of agriculture (fertilizers, pesticide, water, eutrophication, ecosystem disruption, etc).
Biopolymers are likely to become an additional set of materials for packaging, but not necessarily replace existing. For some applications biopolymers could be the best choice, I can imagine that a bag that extends shelf life of fresh produce and can be composted with the food waste would make a lot of sense. But it will depend on the application.

Thanks for sharing the

Thanks for sharing the detailed information about plastic products. Now I have a different view of food packaging plastic products.