• 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
    Paper Substrates

    Wine Labels

    Static Control

    Narrow Web Profile: OMNI Systems

    Digital and Hybrid Printers and Presses
    Breaking News
    Converter News
    European Label News
    Industry News
    Industry People
    M&A News
    New Products
    Expert's Opinion
    Live From Shows
    Top News
    Xeikon launches two new digital label printing presses

    UFlex adds capacity in packaging films

    CEC expands into labels and packaging with Heidelberg

    ABG delivers Digicon Series 3 to UK printer

    Graham Packaging rewarded with top environmental rating
    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

    Avery Dennison optimizes adhesives for pharmaceutical labeling

    S-OneLP adds to growing team

    INX International and VerifyMe sign supply agreement

    Poland's Alu-Lids purchases first MPS flexo press

    Crypto codes combat fake malaria drugs in Africa
    Africa
    Asia
    Australia
    China
    Europe
    India
    Latin America
    Middle East
    North America

    Avery Dennison optimizes adhesives for pharmaceutical labeling

    UFlex adds capacity in packaging films

    CEC expands into labels and packaging with Heidelberg

    ABG delivers Digicon Series 3 to UK printer

    C&A debuts bitter tasting coating line for labels and packaging
    Flexography
    Digital Printing
    Prepress
    Finishing
    Sustainability

    Xeikon launches two new digital label printing presses

    CEC expands into labels and packaging with Heidelberg

    ABG delivers Digicon Series 3 to UK printer

    Tecnocut unveils new diecutting unit

    DTM Print announces Mac compatibility
    Digital Printers & Presses
    Flexo Presses
    Label Converting Equipment
    Label Finishing Equipment
    Prepress Equipment

    Xeikon launches two new digital label printing presses

    Dantex set to install first PicoJet digital press in US

    Poland's Alu-Lids purchases first MPS flexo press

    Phoseon announces NIR LED lamps

    Hamillroad Software appoints Carl Brock senior application specialist
    Dies And Tooling
    Flexo Supplies
    Ink & Coatings
    Prepress Supplies
    Pressrooom Supplies
    Substrates

    Avery Dennison optimizes adhesives for pharmaceutical labeling

    C&A debuts bitter tasting coating line for labels and packaging

    INX International providing relief to Texas

    Eaglewood Technologies debuts new anilox cleaning system

    Grand Rapids Label offers custom diecutting services
    All Companies
    Categories
    Company Profiles
    Label Converters
    Trade Associations
    Add New Company
    International Buyers Guide Companies
    Ashe Converting Equipment

    HP, Inc.

    QC Electronics, Inc.

    Dantex Group

    Flexo Label Advantage Group LLC (FLAG)
    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
      • Pressrooom Supplies
      • Substrates
    • 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
    Front Row

    The sword and the substrate

    China’s restrictions on recyclable waste are bad and good for business.

    Related CONTENT
    • AWA presents release liner industry leadership awards
    • Toyo Ink America expands product range
    • The value of research in label design
    • Garbage patch gyres
    • Narrow Web Profile: American Label Technologies, Inc.
    Jack Kenny02.01.19
    Trends don’t start every January. They occur all the time. Most of them are variations and improvements on events and things that are familiar. In our business they tend not to raise eyebrows; most likely they push creative types to exercise their talents in some different direction.

    We actually do have something rather significant to examine as this year begins. It has to do with China’s National Sword and its impact on packaging. Calvin Frost of Channeled Resources Group, who writes “Letters from the Earth” in this magazine, recently encapsulated China’s thinking in terms of its environmental and economic health:

    “What we’re seeing now in terms of renewable energy and a focus on CO2 reduction is a commitment by ‘the party’ to make changes for improvement in its carbon footprint at all costs. A recent example, of course, is its National Sword program, which affects the importation of waste paper: no more mixed paper at all, and only 0.5% of contaminations allowed in old corrugated containers. China is serious about both: The use of the sun as a source of energy and no more crap in their raw material purchases.”

    It’s not just paper. China will not accept shipments that are mixed with trash, the wrong type of recyclable, or low quality recyclables like greasy paper goods. Plastic waste, a giant percentage of imports, is part of it.

    China pulled the sword from its scabbard in January 2018 and pointed it at the rest of the world, whose practice had been to export their recyclable materials to the Middle Kingdom. The country banned importation of certain types of solid waste and set strict contamination limits on recyclable materials. The Sword was not a sudden move: China began regulating incoming waste in 2010, and in 2013 made importing more difficult with the imposition of its Green Fence.

    The mandate was well received by smaller competitors in Southeast Asia, as well as by Chinese citizens. After all, China had been the world’s biggest importer of waste for decades and had taken in 45% of the world’s plastic and 55% of its scrap paper since 1992, in addition to scrap metals. Hong Kong took in another 27%, two-thirds of which traveled to China. The negative environmental effects could not be ignored. The city of Guiyu, for example, became known as “the world’s largest electronic waste dump,” where up to 80% of children had excess levels of lead in their blood.

    The aftermath among the major exporters – North America, Europe, East Asia and Oceania – is not pretty. In June, Science Advances said, “Suggestions from the recycling industry demonstrate that, if no adjustments are made in solid waste management, and plastic waste management in particular, then much of the waste originally diverted from landfills by consumers paying for a recycling service will ultimately be landfilled.”

    Those suggestions have come to fruition, says National Geographic in a report easily absorbed by the lay reader. “With China’s door closed, much of that recycled plastic is likely ending up at your local landfill. China’s new policy could displace as much as 111 million metric tons of plastic waste by 2030.”  The Center for EcoTechnology said the Sword “has created significant logjams in the international recycling system, resulting in recycled material piling up at materials recycling facilities or worse, into landfills. This is effecting recycling efforts in the United States and abroad.”

    National Sword has also crippled or killed businesses
    What does all this have to do with us? Plenty. “Plastic is a very useful material (moldable, durable, light and inexpensive), and packaging is the most significant sector (40%) of use. Plastic as a material for packaging has had significant advantages, allowing companies to market effectively, design appealing-looking and appealing-feeling packages, prevent loss from store shelves, and transport goods efficiently and economically throughout the world. However, plastic packaging for food, beverage, and tobacco items is often used only once, which has contributed to 61% of global beach litter.” (Science Advances’ exhaustive report on the subject is at advances.sciencemag.org/content/4/6/eaat0131)

    There are always bad apples, but corporations and associations in the recycling industry have been on top of the impact on packaging and other products in the waste stream. They are not all negative about the potentials that can arise from the Sword. The Solid Waste Association of North America urged regulatory bodies, as well as product marketers, to be prepared for market volatility, to communicate effectively among all stakeholders, to renew efforts to encourage waste reduction, and to develop alternative domestic markets for recyclables.

    Most important for the packaging industry, it seems, is this advice: “Educate all stakeholders about the importance of generating high quality material.”

    High quality material that is recyclable is desirable and welcome in the waste stream. Luxury products are increasingly attractive to consumers, and more and more they stand near the intersection of sustainability and high-end appearance.

    Sustainability, a meaningful term that has taken a beating by those who are less than half-serious about it, has shown up as a key trend on New Year’s lists for several years. If the Sword has achieved anything outside of China, it is the awareness of the need to drive sustainability forward. The driver might be the desire for business success rather than ardent environmental concern, but at least it’s something.

    “Eight years ago, we would say sustainability is a trend, now it’s just part of our industry,” Nathalie Grosdidier, general manager of Luxe Pack, told JWT Intelligence, an arm of J. Walter Thompson Company. “The entire organization, from product and design, even down to manufacturing, should be environmental. Sustainability is no longer visible. You cannot see it. You just do it.”

    This is a clear indication, observed JWT, that sustainability is no longer a choice: “Packaging and design made from recycled materials are bidding farewell to coarse textures and dull browns and greys, instead blending in with any other premium packaging on the market. Spotting recycled packaging is becoming harder.”

    Industrial Packaging, a large manufacturer of packaging products based in Worcester, MA, USA, encourages a focus on environmental products with greater energy:

    “The cheapest and most accessible materials, like plastics, are being replaced by biodegradable materials, like paper, hemp, starch and cellulose, and more easily upcycled materials like bamboo and glass. From flexible films to dual-purpose designs, there’s no limit to what you can do to develop more environmentally sound product packaging.”

    Reducing packaging mass is recommended: “Limit your CO2 emissions by cutting down on the amount of packaging you use to complete your finished goods. The weight of your packaging materials affects the amount of energy required to produce your product and ship it. Switching to a lighter weight material can positively impact your carbon footprint.”

    The company also points out that sustainable packaging “can reduce solid waste, water usage and electricity. Flexible options enable you to use less materials, which is good for the environment and the bottom line.”

    The National Sword is more than a year in existence, and we don’t know if or when it will go away or morph into a more comprehensive – meaning tougher – policy and practice. If ever there was an impetus to change what we’re doing in the label portion of the packaging business, it’s the point of that weapon.

    Sword…an effective word.


    The author is president of Jack Kenny Media, a communications firm specializing in the packaging industry, and is the former editor of L&NW magazine. He can be reached at jackjkenny@gmail.com.
    Related Searches
    • packaging
    • paper
    • corrugated
    • media
    Suggested For You
    AWA presents release liner industry leadership awards AWA presents release liner industry leadership awards
    Toyo Ink America expands product range Toyo Ink America expands product range
    The value of research in label design The value of research in label design
    Garbage patch gyres Garbage patch gyres
    Narrow Web Profile: American Label Technologies, Inc. Narrow Web Profile: American Label Technologies, Inc.
    How to lose a sale How to lose a sale
    Taking responsibility Taking responsibility
    The global outlook for smart labels The global outlook for smart labels
    Walmart announces new plastic packaging waste commitments Walmart announces new plastic packaging waste commitments
    Digital print for packaging market to reach $52 billion by 2027 Digital print for packaging market to reach $52 billion by 2027
    BST North America appoints new customer service manager BST North America appoints new customer service manager
    RotoMetrics promotes two executives into new regional leadership roles RotoMetrics promotes two executives into new regional leadership roles
    Siegwerk announces price increase in EMEA Siegwerk announces price increase in EMEA
    Lundberg Tech names LPC agency of record for North America Lundberg Tech names LPC agency of record for North America
    PPC Flexible Packaging acquires Temkin International PPC Flexible Packaging acquires Temkin International

    Related Front Row

    • What will tomorrow bring?

      Today’s challenges are sudden and relentless.
      Jack Kenny 06.04.20

    • Planning for recovery

      When the virus abates, how will you rebuild?
      Jack Kenny 04.03.20

    • Fun facts about packaging

      Fun facts about packaging

      Impress your friends and colleagues with these industry gems.
      Jack Kenny 03.05.20


    • What’s trending?

      Trends teach us how to think, sell and profit.
      Jack Kenny 01.31.20

    • Labels, legislation and cannabis

      ...
      Jack Kenny 11.15.19

    • The innovative leader

      Build the team, then let it run.
      Jack Kenny 10.11.19


    • Is it first?

      An effective safety program reaches into all areas of a business.
      Jack Kenny 09.06.19

    • The patch: an intimate look

      A converting challenge, transdermal patches continue to evolve.
      Jack Kenny 07.10.19

    • Blog yourself

      Taking online communication to the next level.
      Jack Kenny 05.31.19


    • The value of research in label design

      Analyze and capitalize on the customer’s proclivities.
      Jack Kenny 04.05.19

    • How to lose a sale

      The experts get right to the point about mistakes.
      Jack Kenny 03.14.19

    • Weed labels

      ...
      Jack Kenny 11.16.18


    • Color and packaging

      There’s more to color than ink.
      Jack Kenny 10.12.18

    • Working the show

      There’s more to Labelexpo than strolling the aisles.
      Jack Kenny 09.10.18

    • The art of listening

      Customers know when you’re not paying close attention.
      Jack Kenny 07.13.18


    Trending
    • Dantex Set To Install First PicoJet Digital Press In US
    • Avery Dennison Expands Automotive Portfolio
    • UFlex Adds Capacity In Packaging Films
    • Graham Packaging Rewarded With Top Environmental Rating
    • Poland's Alu-Lids Purchases First MPS Flexo Press
    Breaking News
    • FTA converts Forum & INFOFLEX to virtual events
    • Xeikon launches two new digital label printing presses
    • UFlex adds capacity in packaging films
    • CEC expands into labels and packaging with Heidelberg
    • ABG delivers Digicon Series 3 to UK printer
    View Breaking News >
    CURRENT ISSUE

    January/February 2021

    • Paper Substrates
    • Wine Labels
    • Static Control
    • Narrow Web Profile: OMNI Systems
    • 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

    Preliminary Study Links Markers of Impaired Bone Health to Vegan Diet
    Refined Grains Linked to Heart Attack Risk, Early Death
    Kappa Bioscience Extends Research Partnership For COVID-19 Research
    Coatings World

    Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

    Nippon Paint Marine Wins Korea Export Award
    Universal Display Corporation, PPG Expand Global Production of UniversalPHOLED Materials
    PPG Introduces Premium Iso-free Primer Surfacer, Catalyst
    Medical Product Outsourcing

    Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

    January AI Raises $8.8 Million in New Funding
    FDA Clears Ava Fertility Tracking Wearable Device
    First Patient in Europe Treated With Diamondback 360 Coronary Orbital Atherectomy System
    Contract Pharma

    Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

    Spark Therapeutics Appoints CTO
    Cryoport Launches ESG Program
    U.S. Govt. Purchases 100k Doses of Lilly's COVID-19 Antibody Cocktail
    Beauty Packaging

    Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

    The Top Beauty Products of 2021, According to HelloGiggles
    Estée Lauder Taps Ana de Armas as Global Brand Ambassador
    Sephora Announces Significant Expansion
    Happi

    Latest Breaking News From Happi

    ACI Urges Senate to Approve Regan as EPA Administrator
    Estée Lauder Signs Actress Ana de Armas
    GUM Recalls Oral Spray
    Ink World

    Latest Breaking News From Ink World

    Etiflex Enters New Markets with Nilpeter FA-22 Installation
    Hydrocarbon Solvents Market to Surpass $8.1 Billion by 2030
    Marshall & Bruce Adds Koenig & Bauer Rapida 106 41-Inch Seven-Color Press
    Label & Narrow Web

    Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

    FTA converts Forum & INFOFLEX to virtual events
    Xeikon launches two new digital label printing presses
    UFlex adds capacity in packaging films
    Nonwovens Industry

    Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

    Texas Medical Technology Partners with My Protect Kit
    Mexico City Single-Use Plastics Ban Leads to Tampon Shortage
    Believe Diapers Launch in U.S.
    Orthopedic Design & Technology

    Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

    Fusion Robotics Receives FDA Clearance for Spinal Navigation and Robotics System
    Kaia Health Unveils Next-Gen Complete MSK Care Solutions
    First Implantation of CTL Amedica's Minimally Invasive Flex Tower
    Printed Electronics Now

    Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

    Comercial Kywi Improves Customer Service, Front-Store Operations with Zebra Mobile Solution
    Global Printed Circuit Board Market Projected to Reach $69.32 Billion by 2027
    Global Smart Glass Market to Register 6.8% CAGR Between 2021-28: Grand View Research

    Copyright © 2021 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