Reduce packaging & waste, develop a sustainable packaging design

Pollution caused by packaging has become one of the major sources of global pollution. For this reason, the development and promotion of sustainable packaging is becoming increasingly relevant in the packaging industry.

Sustainable packaging refers to a package that is made from natural plants, can be reused or recycled, and therefore has no impact on humans or the environment during its life cycle.

Both governments and companies have a key role to play in the transition towards the implementation of sustainable packaging. Several governments are already legislating in favour of recycling and reuse laws, banning the use of certain packaging materials (lead, mercury, tin), applying a "green" tax policy or restricting excessive packaging.

On the corporate side, there are several actions that can be implemented:

• Reduce and simplify: As a first step, it is necessary to analyze what packaging is needed and remove unnecessary layers. Simple actions such as modifying the folding of a T-shirt in the fashion industry can reduce the size of a polybag by more than 50%, thus saving 50% of plastic.

• Reuse: It is also possible to implement packaging return systems for reuse or recycling. An example in the B2C field is the return of coffee capsules. In the B2B field there are also examples such as the return of bottles in the beverage industry or the exchange of pallets in the distribution within certain regions and sectors.

• Recycle: The use of recycled materials such as cardboard and plastic should be extended. In addition, minimizing the composition of packaging will facilitate its recycling and reduce the need for raw material extraction.

• Containerize: There is great potential in large-scale packaging unit and containerization. The implementation of containers in logistics operations can increase productivity as well as reduce packaging costs. This is a common practice in the automotive and pharma industry.

In addition, the use of green packaging can be used as a marketing tool. Consumers are becoming more and more aware and value environmental compliance as much as packaging design. Therefore, incorporating a green flag on your packaging will allow you to reach more consumers and avoid possible barriers that some countries may impose on your exports.

Miebach can optimize the use of packaging to reduce the environmental impact of your operations.