• Login
    • Join
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Exclusives
    • Labels & Packaging
    • Markets
    • Technology
    • Equipment
    • Supplies
    • Buyers' Guide
    • Events
    • Jobs
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Exclusives
  • Labels & Packaging
  • Markets
  • Technology
  • Equipment
  • Supplies
  • Buyers' Guide
  • Events
  • Jobs
  • Current / Back Issues
    Features
    Editorial
    Columns
    Digital Edition
    eNewsletter Archive
    Our Team
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    Top Features
    Rotary Diecutting

    Workforce Challenges

    Label Insights: Wilson innovates for evolving diecutting market

    Flexo Platemaking Update

    Penmar Industries
    Breaking News
    Converter News
    European Label News
    Industry News
    Industry People
    M&A News
    New Products
    Expert's Opinion
    Live From Shows
    Top News
    Schreiner's Pharma-Comb IL Label supports clinical trial cancer medication

    First Anytron ANY-JET III digital label press installed in Korea

    FPA announces Kasie Fairbarn as elected ELC co-chair

    Appvion announces new, sustainable coatings for label facestocks

    Epson teams with 5 Gyres Institute to battle plastic pollution
    Blog
    Video Bites
    Beauty & Personal Care Labels
    Beer Labels
    Beverage Labels
    Flexible Packaging
    Folding Carton
    Food Labels
    Glue-Applied
    In-Mold
    Industrial Labels
    Medical Labels
    Pharmaceutical Labels
    Pressure Sensitive
    Prime Labels
    Promotional Labels
    Security Labels
    Shrink
    Smart Labels
    Specialty Labels
    Spirits Labels
    Wine Labels

    Schreiner's Pharma-Comb IL Label supports clinical trial cancer medication

    FPA announces Kasie Fairbarn as elected ELC co-chair

    A global first: Canada to require warning labels on individual cigarettes

    A dancing label

    Constantia Flexibles and SB Packagings commence joint venture
    Africa
    Asia
    Australia
    China
    Europe
    India
    Latin America
    Middle East
    North America

    Schreiner's Pharma-Comb IL Label supports clinical trial cancer medication

    First Anytron ANY-JET III digital label press installed in Korea

    Maxcess opens new facility in India

    Dantex promotes Bruce Davidson to lead digital service engineer

    Mactac addresses recent growth
    Flexography
    Digital Printing
    Prepress
    Finishing
    Sustainability

    First Anytron ANY-JET III digital label press installed in Korea

    Appvion announces new, sustainable coatings for label facestocks

    Epson teams with 5 Gyres Institute to battle plastic pollution

    PPG highlights versatile range of label products

    ACTEGA teams with Makro Labelling to advance Signite technology
    Digital Printers & Presses
    Flexo Presses
    Label Converting Equipment
    Label Finishing Equipment
    Prepress Equipment

    First Anytron ANY-JET III digital label press installed in Korea

    Dantex promotes Bruce Davidson to lead digital service engineer

    Penmar Industries

    Redfern Labels installs new MPS EF 340 flexo press

    Loftware announces NiceLabel Cloud Designer
    Dies And Tooling
    Flexo Supplies
    Ink & Coatings
    Prepress Supplies
    Pressrooom Supplies
    Substrates

    Appvion announces new, sustainable coatings for label facestocks

    Maxcess opens new facility in India

    PPG highlights versatile range of label products

    ACTEGA teams with Makro Labelling to advance Signite technology

    Rotary Diecutting
    All Companies
    Categories
    Company Profiles
    Label Converters
    Trade Associations
    Add New Company
    International Buyers Guide Companies
    Martin Automatic Inc.

    Ashe Converting Equipment

    Delta ModTech

    Meech International

    Wilson Manufacturing
    Industry Events
    Webinars
    Live from Show Events
    • Magazine
      • Current & Past Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Columns
      • Digital Edition
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • Breaking News
    • Buyers' Guide
      • All Companies
      • Categories
      • Company Profiles
      • Label Converters
      • Trade Associations
      • Add Your Company
    • Labels & Packaging
      • Beauty & Personal Care Labels
      • Beer Labels
      • Beverage Labels
      • Flexible Packaging
      • Folding Carton
      • Food Labels
      • Glue-Applied
      • In-Mold
      • Industrial Labels
      • Medical Labels
      • Pharmaceuticals Labels
      • Pressure Sensitive
      • Prime Labels
      • Promotional Labels
      • Security Labels
      • Shrink
      • Smart Labels
      • Speciality Labels
      • Spirits Labels
      • Wine Tables
    • Markets
      • Africa
      • Asia
      • Australia
      • China
      • Europe
      • India
      • Latin America
      • Middle East
      • North America
    • Equipment
      • Digital Printers & Presses
      • Flexo Presses
      • Label Converting Equipment
      • Label Fishing Equipment
    • Supplies
      • Dies And Tooling
      • Flexo Supplies
      • Ink & Coatings
      • Prepress Supplies
      • Substrates
      • Pressrooom Supplies
    • Online Exclusives
    • Slideshows
    • Experts Opinions
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Infographics
    • Blog
    • Whitepapers
    • Events
      • Industry Events
      • Live from Show Events
      • Webinars
    • Jobs
    • Resources
      • Supplier Gallery
      • Literature Showcase
      • Homepage Showcase
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
    Expert's Opinion

    Packaging continues to become more sustainable

    The shift in demand for environmentally friendly packaging has catapulted brands to take more responsible actions and prepare for a sustainable future.

    Packaging continues to become more sustainable
    Anantshree Chaturvedi
    Anantshree Chaturvedi, CEO, Flex Films04.25.22
    How does one respond to uncertainty that is no longer their future but staring at them in their present? That is the key question we have all faced since the Covid-19 pandemic began. The same question faces the global polymer cycles but in an inverse way. In the case of the menace of plastic waste, the world is aware of its certain future. We will be living on top of landfills and waste-filled water bodies in a bleak and desperate future if we don’t make the necessary changes, and we have the technology, resources and skill to make the change right now in our present.

    What we lack is the conviction to execute the tasks needed to get to that goal. The greatest task ahead of us is not what we have to change in our actions but our current attitude toward waste, and the fact that there is no such thing as waste. Whatever is wasted in one process is the product of use in an alternate value-added process.

    Sustainable choices we have made since the pandemic has brought about a change in packaging as well. Plastic in packaging has facilitated the life and safety of products across categories seamlessly. It has revolutionized the way customers identify a brand and recognize their choice of product on the retail shelves. Around the world, human beings subconsciously interact with packaging multiple times every day, right from starting our day with that hot coffee and cereal to those medicinal pills we take at day’s end. Thus, the primary role of packaging in retaining the integrity and quality of the packed product in addition to extending its shelf life (an essential for food) can’t be negated.

    Mishandling of packaging waste, however, has had quite an impact on the earth, and as a core member of the flexible packaging fraternity, I can say that all efforts are being made toward the creation of better packaging offerings for generations now and in the future. Our generation has a big role to play, as well, to be part of the change that can uplift our quality of life and our choices and actions that create a better environment. Making conscious, positive choices doesn’t necessarily mean that we need to eliminate plastic packaging from the face of the Earth, instead it is all about the responsible use, reuse and disposing of plastic packaging. 

    The shift in asking for environment friendly packaging has catapulted brands to take more responsible actions and prepare for a future where packaging is completely sustainable and/or recyclable for further use. That said, this will be a gradual process, and companies will have to lay a strong foundation to build a sustainable, circular plastic economy.

    What is circularity?

    A circular economy is one where it looks beyond the end of lifecycle of a product. It is an eco-system where manufacturers design and create products that can be put to re-use easily and restored multiple times through recycling and upcycling. For instance, plastic packaging waste can be recycled into chips to be used in different and better forms and this process can be repeated again and again. So, unlike a linear economy that practices "use and throw" philosophy, a circular economy ensures the "use and repurposing" of plastic packaging so that it doesn’t become a waste.

    With only 9% of plastic waste being recycled across the world, a linear economy model of "take–make and dispose" constrains the overall growth of the world’s economy. Hence, a transition from linear to a circular economy is imperative. It is, of course, not easy given the volume of waste generated; and the gaps between waste generation and the lack of adequate infrastructure for efficient processing of waste makes the road to circularity quite bumpy. It will take untiring efforts and collaboration between the stakeholders, as well as investments to develop sustainable packaging solutions. A better, more efficient recycling infrastructure will be required, as well, to make this overall shift, and it will require companies to place the good of the planet above their own short-term bottom lines/profits.

    In my view, we can tackle this challenge at the source, and for that we need to take care of the stock of plastic waste piling up and the flow of new polymer products to cut down plastic packaging waste and ensure that the materials’ virtues are reinstated. Toward this, we must start looking at waste as a resource and make reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, re-design and re-manufacture a part of our cultural ethos.

    Why sustainable plastic packaging?

    With more than 75% of US consumers preferring to buy a product that is labeled “environmentally friendly," product packaging is just as important as the product itself. And, given that consumers are becoming more and more aware of the existence of sustainable plastic, green packaging truly needs to go from “alternative” to “mainstream.”

    Sustainable packaging not only reduces the amount of materials used but is also easily recycled and biodegradable. This cuts down on waste and reduces a company’s overall carbon footprint. At its core, this form of packaging is a perfect combination of the unique versatility of plastic and the importance of nature. It not only increases customer loyalty to a brand (and boosts sales of the product) but it also softens the brand’s environmental impact and enhances its social standing.

    Lately, various innovations in the realm of sustainable plastic packaging have surfaced with alterations and advancements in packaging design for the safe recycling, reusing or composting of these materials. Technologies developed include easy recycling of post-consumer plastic waste generated from MLP mixed plastic (which was traditionally considered difficult to be recycled) and PET bottles.

    Packaging companies are continually working on creating a perfect closed loop synergy with brands where plastic waste is upcycled into high quality PCR films’ based packaging structure that further re-enters the loop to be recycled. Another notable invention to address is uncollected plastic waste with enzyme-based films that break down into fertilizer within a fixed period of time after coming into contact with soil. Mono-material packaging is another interesting development adopted by certain brands in a bid to shift to green packaging. However, this is an inadequate solution if there is a lack of infrastructure created for its recycling.

    Stakeholders are gradually coming together, taking baby steps to embrace the transformation toward sustainability in packaging, and as time progresses we are sure to witness many more interesting formats of sustainable plastic packaging that will highlight the wonders of plastic packaging that doesn’t cause harm to the planet.

    We resolve to be the change that brings about a positive coexistence of beneficial plastic packaging and life on this beautiful planet.

    About the author: Anantshree Chaturvedi has been with UFlex for over 13 years and has worked from the ground up in every unit of UFlex. He learned the trade both domestically and internationally by being an apprentice in India, Mexico, Poland, Egypt, Dubai and the USA. He has spearheaded the expansion of UFlex global packaging films’ subsidiary Flex Films in multiple regions, including the US.

    A believer in turning plastic into a genuinely-loved product for its virtues and ability to be sustainable, Anantshree has been driving development of new products and solutions that help plastic find life beyond its original purpose. He strives to make UFlex’ global sustainability initiative “Project Plastic Fix” a blueprint for the industry to follow and achieve circular economy.
      Loading, Please Wait..

      Trending
      • BlueStone Label Adds Two Mark Andy Performance Series Presses
      • Mactac Addresses Recent Growth
      • Channeled Resources Installs New Coater In Marathon
      • Beontag Launches Global Rebrand
      • SATO America Acquires Stafford Press
      Breaking News
      • Schreiner's Pharma-Comb IL Label supports clinical trial cancer medication
      • First Anytron ANY-JET III digital label press installed in Korea
      • FPA announces Kasie Fairbarn as elected ELC co-chair
      • Appvion announces new, sustainable coatings for label facestocks
      • Epson teams with 5 Gyres Institute to battle plastic pollution
      View Breaking News >
      CURRENT ISSUE

      April 2023

      • Slitter-Rewinders
      • Ink Innovation
      • CELAB striving to curb industry’s recycling issue
      • Nutraceutical Labels
      • Narrow Web Profile: Apogee Industries
      • View More >

      Cookies help us to provide you with an excellent service. By using our website, you declare yourself in agreement with our use of cookies.
      You can obtain detailed information about the use of cookies on our website by clicking on "More information”.

      • About Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms And Conditions
      • Contact Us

      follow us

      Subscribe
      Nutraceuticals World

      Latest Breaking News From Nutraceuticals World

      Stefan Pasiakos, PhD, Selected to Lead NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
      Verdure Sciences Receives Award for Sustainable, Ethical Turmeric Sourcing
      BGG Receives Patent for Saw Palmetto ID Method
      Coatings World

      Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

      Indorama Ventures and Carbios Reaffirm Partnership to Build PET Biorecycling Plant
      AkzoNobel Powder Coatings Enhances Digital Services with Launch of My Interpon Portal
      PPG Opens Color Creation Lab with Chery Automobile in China
      Medical Product Outsourcing

      Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

      MPO's Most-Read Stories This Week—June 3
      CardioRenal’s TENOR Device Receives Breakthrough Device Designation from FDA
      LifeQ Unveils New 24-Hour Sleep Solution
      Contract Pharma

      Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

      Terran Biosciences, Pierre Fabre Ink Exclusive Licensing Deal for Idazoxan
      ASM Research Chemicals Launches Development Packs for API Manufacturing
      WuXi Increases Manufacturing Capacity in Germany
      Beauty Packaging

      Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

      L'Oréal North Asia President Discusses China's Consumer Sector Recovery & Premium Beauty Trends
      Kiehl’s Celebrates Pride by Supporting The Trevor Project
      L’Oréal & UNESCO Announce 2023 Laureates of the For Women in Science International Awards
      Happi

      Latest Breaking News From Happi

      An Eco-Friendly & Stylish PET Dropper for Cosmetic Products New from Epopack
      Color Street Celebrates Pride Month with Limited-Edition ‘Over the Rainbow’ Nail Strips
      Olay Rolls Out Sensitive Skin Line
      Ink World

      Latest Breaking News From Ink World

      Weekly Recap: INX Digital, hubergroup and HP Top This Week’s Stories
      Mactac Acquires Canadian Roll Label Distributor Label Supply
      WestRock Advances its Commitment to a Sustainable Future
      Label & Narrow Web

      Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

      Schreiner's Pharma-Comb IL Label supports clinical trial cancer medication
      First Anytron ANY-JET III digital label press installed in Korea
      FPA announces Kasie Fairbarn as elected ELC co-chair
      Nonwovens Industry

      Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

      Harper Hygienics Launches Hemp-Based Intimate Care Wipes
      What You’re Reading on Nonwovens-Industry.com
      Biodiapers Signs Agreement with Sicam
      Orthopedic Design & Technology

      Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

      ODT's Most-Read Stories This Week—June 3
      Augmedics Debuts New Features, Indications for xvision Platform
      Artelon Closes $20M Series B Funding
      Printed Electronics Now

      Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

      Weekly Recap: Francisco Melo, Smart Skis, onsemi Top This Week’s Stories
      DIC Acquires Photoresist Polymers Manufacturer PCAS Canada
      Arkema Collaborates with Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia

      Copyright © 2023 Rodman Media. All rights reserved. Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media.

      AD BLOCKER DETECTED

      Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
      Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.


      FREE SUBSCRIPTION Already a subscriber? Login