Packaging LCA's (Life Cycle Analysis) & Environmental Impact Studies
- Filed in:
- Metrics, standards, and LCA
I'd be curious to hear opinions on the subject of Packaging LCA's and their value - both in a business sense & academia perspectives.
Are cradle to grave assessments of Packaging Systems beneficial (i.e. measuring GHG from the point of pkg raw material mining to energy required to assemble the package to disposal by end user in a landfill) ? Or - can the same outcome of general knowledge on "Sustainability" be just as adequately determined by simply boiling down to one variable - the weight of the package?
Look forward to your thoughts!
thanks,
Jeff Plank
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Role of Weight in Sustainability Assessments; LCAs
Emma Dawley
While each LCA-based packaging analysis may have different boundaries and assumptions, and thus may tell a more or less comprehensive picture depending upon the comparison being made, the concept of analyzing a package or product from cradle to grave (or cradle) with a wide angle lens is critical to understanding its sustainability.
The first of the three "R"s is "Reduce", but packaging weight/weight reduction is not, and should not be considered the determining factor for the sustainability of a product. Yes, weight does play a major role in terms of energy inputs for harvesting, conversion and transportation, but there are significant other design factors to consider. For example, material type dictates the energy input needed in the material harvesting, as well as what conversion processes, and thus what respective energy inputs and emissions, are relevant. Additionally, the combination of material type and component type can greatly impact the end of life scenarios that are likely or even possible for the package. Material type and the respective harvesting and manufacturing processes are also factors that determine the human impacts of a package. As a last example, the configuration of a package/packaging system, and its relative efficiency at carrying its product, are other factors that should be considered when determining the sustainability of a package, and these may vary greatly even among packages that weigh the same amount.
I don’t deny the important role weight plays in the sustainability of a package; weight is often a common denominator among packaging impacts and it is often the most influential factor when all else is equal. Assuming that all else is equal for all packaging situations, however, is not a valid assumption. As such, all of the above are important factors, too, and none is considered if packaging weight is alone the focus of a packaging analysis.
A key principle of sustainability is understanding and making considerations for all impacts in the big picture. By definition, an LCA-based approach to a packaging analysis will give you a more comprehensive view of the sustainability of a package than evaluating any one attribute or impact. Often the cost of a full LCA on one package/product alone can be prohibitive (in the range of 15-30k USD). As this is a hot and emerging topic, however, there are several new analysis software packages out there now (and more under development) that incorporate the basic principles and methodology of LCAs and cost a fraction of what a full LCA would cost. Of course the more you simplify the model and more assumptions you make, the less clarity your results may give, but when considering sustainability, I can not understate the importance of looking at, and making considerations for, the full life cycle impacts of a package.
Packaging LCA's - Weight factor
Jeff Plank
Dear Emma -
THANK YOU so much for sharing your valuable insight! Very much appreciated. I certainly agree with ALL your key points - but find it struggle trying to convince folks internally of the value of LCA's. Most of the "legacy" groupthink seems to want to disregard the "new" and cling to the general idea that "weight or source reduction means everything". If you have any additional suggested strategies that can help change or alter that conventional wisdom - I'd be all ears!
Thanks again for your valuable insight!
Jeff Plank
LCA
kevin mulligan
Great insight, and I agree with many of the things you say.
However, weight of packaging will likely remain an immediate solution for many, including manufacturers and legislators. In Europe much of th law focuses on weight reduction such as the Duales system in Germany. In addition, companies benefit from source reduction diretly to the bottom line. One of the big challenges still focuses on recycling. With the exception of commodities such as aluminum, paper and paper byproducts, items such as plastics remain challenges ( with the exception of a few homogeneous structures). The cost of reclycing simply does not make sense, and when LCAs are done, it can demonstrate that there are more harmful byproducts produced as part ot the recycling process.
Affecting REAL Change?
Sherri
I'm not yet convinced that any of the alternatives we're talking about will really affect change in a big way. Maybe they will - but I haven't seen/read compelling evidence of it so far. I think the alternatives we talk about give those of us involved in the effort an opportunity to feel better about the packaging we advocate. It gives us the ability to defend our judgement. But I'm not convinced it truly affects real, long-lasting change because it doesn't address what's really at the heart of the issue anymore than it helps us define sustainability in other than abstract or esoteric terms.
All of our efforts are costing a lot of $$. What if our organizations instead spent that money on how consumers dispose of packaging? Partner with communities where we operate to help them start/increase/improve reclamation and recycling programs - curbside pickup, placing and picking up recycling containers in open/public spaces like parks and shopping centers, etc. Sponser campaigns to educate consumers in the facts (those that at least most of us can agree on - things like the fact that all petroleum-based plastic is made from a byproduct; that the majority of packaging paper is also made from a byproduct; how the success of 'sustainable' packaging really depends on consumers, etc). I'm sure we can come up with a myriad of good ideas.
Sucess will give for-profit organizations the good press/reputation they're seeking, and will inevitably drive the packaging decision-making WE are currently struggling with. But this way, we'd be working WITH, and hearing from, the people who actually have the power - the consumers.
Great ideas
Wally Wolk...Sherri I'd like to discuss your ideas in further detail. I have been dedicating some thought and need to put into action a plan very similar to what you are proposing.
Wally
my email...
Wally Wolk...wally@ddw.com
LCA impact package weight versus sustainable
Michael Dewsbury...You can get a very good comparison of the carbon footprints of competing packaging methods by converting package weights and other system input differences, like transportation, processing speeds, product wastage, etcetera, to BTU's. Weight reduction can bring down BTU requirements in several areas. Also some "sustainable" materials have surprisingly high BTU consumption in their creation.
I have found the better discussion is around carbon footprints (BTU) than it is "sustainability", which is a poorly defined term.
LCA
kevinmulligan
LCA can be somewhat misleading depending on how it is done. Weight of the final product is generally what government regulatory groups and consumers focus on. However, some products or packages can contribute more than 40 times the final weight of the product in waste and by product according to some leading experts. Knowing this, can help in making the best overall environmental decision. In addition, some products like aluminum enjoy recycling rates in excess of 40% because it is much cheaper and uses less energy to make new aluminum via recycling of old cans etc. When compared to the cost of extracting the raw material via mining etc., it is far more costly and energy consuming. Certain plastics for example are more costly and more energy focused via recycling than production from raw material. As such recycling may not always make sense.
Healthcare Packaging Sustainability
kevinmulligan
I was wondering if anyone knew of industry groups that would be interested in publishing a white paper I had written on Medical Waste and Sustainable Packaging?
Hello Jeff I posted a
kevinmulligan
Hello Jeff
I posted a response to your questions. I am finishing collaboration on a text book with Michigan State University on the subject, and I think the cradle to grave assessments will continue to improve and become more meaningful in making final assessments and decisions. Let me know if you need more detail
LCA's / Sustainability
Jeff Plank
Hey Kevin -
Thanks for your helpful insights - I would be interested in discussing further your research and publications & could also offer some of my experiences with packaging LCA's.
Best Regards
Jeff Plank
651-795-5754
LCA
kevinmulligan
Sure, that would be fine.
I am getting a new artilce published shortly in Healthcare Packaging and will send a copy if you give me your email.
I just finished a white paper on Medical Waste and Packaging and would be happy to share that with you as well. My e mail is mulligan.kt@gmail.com I am also on linkedin if you have interest.
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