Anne Johnson, GreenBlueEPA National Workshop on the Resource

Conservation Challenge ProgramsArlington, VA March 6, 2008

The Sustainable Packaging Coalition

Overview

• GreenBlue• Packaging • Drivers for Sustainable Packaging• The Sustainable Packaging Coalition• Definition of Sustainable Packaging• Packaging Development• Case studies

GreenBlue

A not for profit institute of scientists, engineers and designers working with professional communities to connect the vision of sustainability to implementation through effective design and information

• 501(c)(3) not for profit • Founded in 2003• 11 Employees• Charlottesville, VA

Role of Packaging

Keeps product from spoiling or being damaged…but also important to prevent accrued environmental impact of a product from being wasted

Why Packaging?

• Significant use of materials• Municipal burden• Short term nature of most packaging• Corporate citizenship and brand issue• Intimate relationship with consumers

“Posterchild for waste”` EU Minister for the Environment, 2007

The Supply Chain

© 2006

1970

Katrina/Oil price increases X X X X X XWal-Mart X X X X X XClimate Change X X X X X X

1980

1990

2000

Drivers for Sustainable Packaging

Population Growth and Demand for Resources

Global Footprint Network©2007

State for the Second Industrial Revolution

Planetary Resources

Needs ofSociety

Needs ofBusiness

Sustainable Packaging Coalition is…

• Industry working group• Inspired by cradle-to-cradle principles• Working to increase understanding of sustainability

issues related to packaging and the role of design• Developing tools and resources to facilitate more

sustainable packaging solutions and systems

A Cradle to Cradle Vision

THE MODEL THE VISION

Definition of Sustainable Packaging

Benefits Communities

Renewable Energy

Cost and Performance

Responsible Sourcing

Clean Production

Material Health

Optimizing Materials & Energy

Resource Recovery

Activities and Projects of the Coalition

• Meetings• Open Forum Calls• Definition• Design Guidelines• Design tool• Essentials of

Sustainable Packaging Course

• Metrics Project • Environmental

Technical Briefs

Design is a Critical Point of Consideration

• Possible to “design out” negative consequences and “design in” sustainability-based features

• Consider sustainable design criteria early in the packaging product development when it is most cost effective

• Design for Environment (DfE) resources

Sustainability and Product Development

Common Knowledge

Base

Pro

cure

men

t

Res

earc

h &

Dev

elopm

ent

Mar

keting

Pac

kagin

g D

evel

opm

ent

AlignmentSustainable

Package Development

Implement

Corporate Values,

Priorities, Goals

Direction

Sustainability Requires Both Efficiency and Optimization Strategies

ECO-EFFICIENCY• Less material• Minimizing toxics• Energy efficiency• Reduce pollution

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING

OPTIMIZATION• Beneficial recovery• Safer materials• Responsibly sourced• Renewable energy• Clean production

Raising Awareness and Driving Business

• SmartCycle™label is an effort to educate consumers and raise awareness

Creating Markets and Design for Recycling

• Using recycled materials and redesigned for recycling

• Post-Consumer Recycled Material 45% to 80%

• 150 tons virgin material saved

• $1mm saved

Enhancing Post-Use Recovery Options through Compatibility of Materials - Ecotainer ™

• Partnership between International Paper and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters

• Uses renewable resource: corn-based plastic

• Certified compostable• Grown and harvested

according to Sustainable Forestry Initiative guidelines

• Cost-neutral alternative to PVC blisterpack

• Passed vibration and drop tests

• Stronger on the compression test

• Fiber is 50% and PET blister is 100% PCR

• Fiber and PET are recyclable

Creating Recyclable Alternatives

Saving Material - Salad Dressing Bottle Redesign

• Reduced PET by 15%

• Enhanced Pourability

Packaging Trends

• Industry is engaged and taking action• Climate change and increasing petroleum prices driving

“lightweighting” as the dominant design for environment strategy– saves money and resources– life cycle analysis – increasing use of flexible packaging– not economic to collect, low recycled value

• Leglslation and carbon taxes can drive conflicting agendas• China (materials and legislation)• New materials

Thank You!

For more information on the SPC , please see www.sustainablepackaging.org