 | Charles HaysUsername: innovative |
Location
Islandia, NY, USA
Role
Packaging Materials SupplierJob Title
Business Development Dir.Company
Printex PackagingComments
* indicates an article that was submitted directly to this Web site by the supplier, and was not handled by the Greener Package editorial staff.
Greener Package may share your contact information with our sponsors, as detailed in our Privacy Policy. Greener Package will not share your information with a sponsor whose content you have not reviewed. The members of the Advisory Board and Expert Network do not review, approve or endorse advertisements on this Web site.
Pharma Packaging - Sustainability Successes
As a supplier to mostly OTC Pharma, we are seeing the concern being brought to the table in the packaging development process, but cost in most cases wins the fight. We have Post Consumer Recycled Content materials to present and structure design to reduce or reuse.
Cost of going green
I disagree that you will save money from the start, there will always be an implemenatation cost. Yes, the benefits down the road could cover that cost but initially it cost's. Plus there is a difference in the cost based on the user vs. the manufacturer of packaging. The user of packaging that implements "Green" will see ROI much faster than the manufacturer of packaging. Except in cases of using materials that come from renewable sources or material that have Post Consumer Recycle properties. They presently and will always cost more because they are still in the process of becoming a part of the packaging infrastructure. I get many inquiries of PC materials or renewable materials, but once the associated cost is shown it is back to what they know costs less. The manufcaturer will have a much greater time to wait on ROI. Just the processes involved in manufacturing will cost more. The lost revenues on Remove, Reduce, and Reuse will cost in REPLACE. If "Green" is not done methodical and strategical it will not work. History shows this already.
Cost of Green
The reality is that no matter what, it will cost more to be green out of the gate. The key is planning the turn to make it profitable. There is a trade off for everything, if you replace expendable with reuasble you lose revenue, that is a cost...Sustainability needs to be managed just like Sales, Operations, Marketing, and so on.
Cost of going green
I think there is costs and benefits to both, just merely going green via using recycled content or bio-polymer materials alone will cost more. It will also cost more to initiate green and sustainable programs on the front end but if done carefully and with accuracy it can have cost savings. Bottom line yes it costs more if you want to just use green materials. Yes it will cost more to implement, but yes it will save money and possibly increase revenues if implementation is done properly.