 | Thomas Oris |
Location
Chicago, IL, United States
Role
PackagerIndustry
FoodJob Title
Procurement ManagerCompany
Morton SaltProfile
Thomas Oris leads the procurement organization for Morton Salt and has 15 years of consumer packaging experience. His responsibilities include the negotiation of packaging and services in support of Morton Salt operations throughout North America.
Prior to joining Morton Salt, he has spent time working on consumer packaging in Health and Beauty Care, Lawn and Garden and Quick Serve Restaurant packaging. He possesses a passion for both consumer packaging as well as the environment and continuously drives for improvements in sustainability.
Mr. Oris was raised in Oceanside, NY and holds a MBA from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO. He currently resides in Burr Ridge, IL and serves on the Burr Ridge Environmental Quality Commission. He is married to Inga and has two daughters.
Recent Blog Entries
Sustainability by any other name would be just as Sustainable
One of the most interesting aspects of sustainable packaging has been talking, listening and reading what everyone is saying about it. Like a new car, there is a make and model of sustainability for everyone. Some believe in PLA as the right direction, while others focus on light weighting, while yet others look at recycle content (pre and post consumer) and still others look at recyclability and/or compostability. Of course, many look for more than one of these benefits, so the number of options is mind boggling.
Posted May 29, 2010The Holiday (Sustainable) Season!
Well, less than three days until the family tears into presents! I have to admit, their is a level of "pain" involved with the holidays. Think about it, we buy all these wrapping papers, we wrap up all these gifts, then in a matter of seconds, the paper is flying across the room. It's then picked up and thrown in the garbage. Now... I introduce you to.... THE SUSTAINABLE HOLIDAY!!!!
Posted December 22, 2009Pizza, Friends and Sustainability!
Last Friday I flew from Chicago back to my "hometown" on Long Island. No matter where I go, no matter what my mood, I always have creeping thoughts of sustainability (sad but true).
Posted November 7, 2009Receipts? Receipts! RECEIPTS?!
The other day, I swung by my neighborhood drug store and purchased a pack of gum. Nothing expensive, just your normal five stick pack of gum. It cost less than a dollar.
Posted July 19, 2009Wait Kids.... Let me go over the rules of recycling in our house!
I put everything in the recycle bins... .well almost anything. My wife and I sort all of our packaging, most of our waste in order to be the "GOOD CITIZENS" helping our environment.
Posted May 11, 2009Sustainability and the Obama Administration
I'm sitting at my kitchen table trying to "quickly" understand the framework of President Obama's budget plan. It’s not happening; I’m going to need more time. I'm not writing to support or tear down President Obama’s budget; I'm selfishly trying to figure out how to determine the role packaging and the packaging industry plays, if any, in his plans.
Posted February 26, 2009The Sustainable Chicken or the Sustainable Egg?
The supply chain plays a major role in determining the true value of sustainable packaging. While I am rather enthusiastic (an understatement to those that know me) about the use of post consumer materials, other factors need to be considered. For example, if a company used a material made with 100% post consumer material, but they have to ship the material 2,000 miles, is that truly better for the environment than a 50% post consumer material shipped 1,000 miles, or are we better off with virgin material that is produced locally?
Posted 35 minutes ago
Recent Discussions
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
Let’s take the philosophical question and apply it to the world of Sustainability. As this topic continues to develop and evolve, great new concepts have come about; some are in development while some are now reality. My questions: 1. Do consumers really understand "compostable"? Recycling? 2. How many households have full access to municipal composting facilities compared to households with access to recycling? 3. How many households practice home composting? Recycle? The Green Guides state:
Posted August 30, 2010
Comments
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What is greener? Biodegradable or 100% recycled?
This has been an excellent "discussion" and I agree with most, that recycled (ore recyclable) is a more efficient and socially responsible approach. As some have elluded to, and I will be more direct, the infrastructure to collect recyclable materials is completely unacceptable! When statistics show that the US reclaims less than 25% of PET water bottles, that is a sad commentary indeed! I truly believe that until government steps in to take the lead (state or federal), leaving recycling up to the private sector or local municipalities will not create the significant presence that is required to make recycling truly impactful. In fact, when recycling laws are mandated a local levels only (perhaps even at the state level), it adds more cost and complexity. Their really is no reason why we can't recycle on a more national level! The sad truth is that Americans tend to be lazy and many view recycling as pain or inconvienance. Japan recycles 50% of solid waste, Western Europe 30%, but the United States is roughly 10%! That isn't right.
ntlynch hits the nail on the head!
As noted, the United States does not have a good infrastructure for the collection and/or composting of materials. It has been noted in past studies that less than 25% of PET water bottles are reclaimed and used again. LESS THAN 25%!!! That is horrific! While the nation has made strides, we still are not where we need to be. In many metropolitan areas around the country, recycling is not mandatory and/or offered. This must change. Without moving too much into political discussion, I do believe government needs to do more to support recycling. Their really is no reason why in highly populated areas recycling shouldn't be mandatory. Walk down the street in most cities, do you see waste containers that ask for separation of materials? I can tell you I do not see this in Chicago where I am located. Their is a tremendous amount of material that is destined for landfills that could be reused if the infrastructure was in place to collect the materials. One large question to be answered (not by me, I am biased) is the Economic Benefit vs Social Responsibility?
What is greener? Biodegradable or 100% recycled?
Mike, I may be echoing what others have said, but the cold reality is that for the most part, biodegradability is a joke! Their are no real guidelines around biodegradability.... a product could take 100 years to degrade but one could still make this claim. As others have noted, a vast majority of waste ends up in a landfill, and as such, the materials do not biodegrade, regardless of what additives may be added to assist in the process, as you properly noted. EPS (foam) is considered by many to be one of the "worst" resins when it comes to disposal, although again, as nothing truly breaks down anyway, I don't necessarily think EPS is any worse than other resins that end up in a landfill. One things I didn't understand; you stated: "With it's cushion curves we can reduce the amount of packaging and provide equal or better protection. It can also be recylced again at end of life." I don't believe their is any wide spread recycling program for plastic envelopes and foam beads. You would have to do more research related to understanding what is reclaimed.
Biodegradable Sprayer Bottles for food-grade home cleaning produ
Savitree; allow me to try to assist. First, as "sustainability" goes in all different directions, what are you seeking to accomplish? For example, weight reduction of packaging? Biodegradability? Recyclability? Compostability? All are considered sustainable, but they will lead you in different directions. PET bottles (mostly in a clear format) are recyclable. That said, less than 25% according to the last study I read were actually recycled. HDPE is also a recyclable resin. Again, at least in the US, a low percentage of these packages are actually recycled. Technically speaking, again from what I have read, fiber based packaging is recycled the most. If you were packaging liquid products, my belief is their would be some type of barrier property, which would not lend itself to being recycled. As I have noted on previous post, the term biodegradable to me is a joke. If the materials end up in a landfill, they may take 50 - 100 years, if not longer, to actually witness biodegration. This isn't biodegradable from my viewpoint. Compostability is good, if you follow the steps required. Very few ares offer composting options, thus the consumer would most likely have to do this themselves. The question is, how many people will actually do so? I don't know if this helps. It is very murky water, I think you simply need to further define your objective related to sustainability, then proceed to explore deeper.
The existence of Patent info and a cold shoulder
sammysam; As a "non-engineering" professional, perhaps I will put a different spin on this, although the two responses you have received to date are pin point accurate and informative. First, why biodegrade PET to begin with? PET can be reclaimed and reused (assuming it is not colored too significantly). I would be more inclined to investigate post consumer resin content in your PET packaging. In relation to biodegradability with the additives, my thinking is that if newspapers and even food items are "preserved" in a landfill, I don't see how an additive can turn a resin into something that can biodegrade?! The term itself "biodegradable" scares me, as their is no clear definition. For example, you could have a package that could take over 100 years to biodegrade under conditions that support the process, and you can then make the claim that it is biodegradable. However, most waste goes to landfill, which does not support this, nor does a term of 100 years really meet with a consumers perception of what they believe biodegradability means. Again, strictly my opinion, but it sounds that adding a additives to PET to improve biodegradability is like putting lipstick on a pig. And again, I am not an engineer and I don't wish to insult anyone, but from the practical point of view, I would need to see real solid evidence and data, which is not present.
Need help finding a true, "good" packaging supplier
From a procurement point of view, related to sourcing, their are some questions you need to ask: 1. Volumes? 2. Manufacturing location? 3. Budget? 4. Resins to be accepted? 1. Volumes - obviously, the larger your volume the more leverage you will have related to obtaining what you want. I would recommend leveraging your full category accordingly to maximize your chances for success. 2. Locations - if you find a supplier, but they are located 3,000 miles away, you could be improving in one area of sustainability while stepping backward in another (CO2 emissions). 3. Budget - in some cases, you could be looking at a premium to obtain Post Consumer Resin (PCR). The sad fact is that the infrastructure simply isn't there to a large extent, and reclaiming, reshipping materials is not necessarily cost advantageous. Additionally, some manufacturers of resin could see additional costs in their operations related to the use of PCR (depends on the manufacturer). 4. Resins: In your packaging you reference several components, and therefore multiple resins that could/would be used: a. PP - very challenging to find PCR for PP packaging. This could apply to caps and possibly bottles. b. HDPE - opportunity exists, but you could see some packaging integrity issues as you increase the PCR levels. You will want to work with your suppliers to understand this better. Also, if you are seeking a level of clarity, this may be challenging. c. PET - opportunity exists here as well. Some of mentioned that as you increase the PCR content, a yellow tint may become visible. I do know improvements on clarity are continuing and a few have just about perfected high PCR with great clarity. Again, as I mentioned earlier, just be aware of all aspects of sustainable benefits. These include but are not limited to; reducing packaging weight, using post consumer materials, reducing transportation of materials, using packaging that allows for maximizing square footage, etc...
Interesting choices
Yesterday, an unnamed individual raised some interesting questions related to the judging and the winners. Allow me to address these issues, because they have some validity. First issue that was raised was the Sun Chips with 33% PLA. While I don't really like the presentation of his/her opinion, I happen to agree with the viewpoint for similar reasons. Their isn't much I can say to that. Related to the judging, I would like to share my thoughts. Sustainability is still rather broad in definition and as such it can mean different things to various people and industries. For me personally, I focused on specific criteria which included the use of post consumer materials, weight reduction and the use of truly recyclable materials (not just items the are recyclable, but materials that truly are reclaimed). Others I am sure have different criteria and I am not in position to say their criteria is any more or less significant than mine. It illustrates the wide range of improvements that can be made in packaging as related to our environment. I do wonder if we could have tightened the criteria or broken down the awards into more categories. For example, perhaps an award for the use of post-consumer material (or transition to post-consumer material). A second thought would be to have more set criteria. An example could be an award that would be based as follows: 20% based on post-consumer material, 20% on weight reduction, 20% green energy, etc... As for the judges, I will not go down the path of prejudice against any judge's evaluation. I believe the judges, including myself, are passionate about sustainability and were fair and impartial in their voting. That said, and I did mention this to David Newcorn earlier today, that we must avoid any conflict of interest in our voting, even the perception of conflict, as we vote going forward. This is not to say that any judge was biased, but we also must understand the perception. All this said, all this reflection is GOOD! As a judge and a member of the Greener Package Panel, I am very proud of what has been done to date. Many people spent countless hours preparing for the launch of the website, most of us dedicated our time because of our passion for sustainability and the only compensation was in helping to raise awareness. Was the 2009 awards perfect? I don't know. I think we recognized some great projects. I think all the entrants submitted are great projects! These awards represent a lot of hard work for all those involved in the projects as well as those who worked on the website and the judging! In closing, to Anonymous; I appreciate the passion and the concerns. You raise some valid points although I wish you could present your concerns in a less hostile tone. I believe we will discuss your concerns going forward for next year's award and sincerely hope that you will continue to support Greenerpackage.com.
I am looking to recycle a high volume amount of dry petfood bags
Excellent question! Assuming you are referring to the US market, this is rather challenging. Overall, this country does an inadequate job of claiming recyclable materials. In fact less than 25% of PET water bottles are reclaimed and reused, with most of this balance ending up in a landfill. In your specific case, the multi wall bags that contain a poly liner are rather challenging and difficult to recycle even if we had the infrastructure in place. In regards to the PP bags, my concern would be the various blends of resin that are used to manufacture the bag and the ability to successfully reuse this material, again if it could be collected. I would recommend talking to different types of organizations within the packaging community. This would include raw material suppliers, such as paper mills or resin suppliers, converters (companies that turn this into some form of packaging and/or MRF's (Material Recovery Facilities). Additionally, I would recommend contacting or at least reviewing the Walmart website that is dedicated to sustainability. I wish you good fortune on this project, and if you could keep me updated on your progress and findings, I would greatly appreciate it!
What's the difference between biodegradable vs. compostable?
To expand on Kate's comments, the FTC Green Guide states; Claims that a product is "degradable," "biodegradable" or "photodegradable" mean that the materials will break down and return to nature within a reasonably short time after customary disposal. Additionally, the define compostable; Composting turns degradable materials into useable compost-humus-like material that enriches the soil and returns nutrients to the earth. "Compostable" claims would be appropriate on products or packages that will break down, or become part of usable compost (for example, soil-conditioning material or mulch), in a safe and timely manner in home compost piles. For composting, a "timely manner" is approximately the same time that it takes organic compounds, like leaves, grass, and food stuff, to compost. Generally speaking, biodegradeable claims are much broader, with less definition. The reality, as I have stated before, is that if any product ends up in a landfill, it will not break down. A compostable product must be put into a compost in order to allow the product to break down accordingly. In a vast majority of cases, this means the consumer will compost at home. Rather few municipalities have the facilities to do so.
Corrugate content
Geoff, As Adam mentioned, it is hard for most suppliers to pin point, or guarantee a minimum level of recycled content. However, let me focus on "recycled content." There are at least two forms: post consumer content and post industrial content. Many corrugated suppliers will talk about recycled content and they usually mean post industrial. By this, they recover scrap material from their manufacturing process and then re-use the material. Post consumer is just that, it goes through one complete process, meaning the paper is recovered after reaching the consumer level. Adam is also right, we need virgin paper. Fibers will break down over time. BUT... there is a lot of room to increase the overall consumption of post consumer material.