The Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s Definition of Sustainable Packaging – A systems concept in a marketplace of
singular claims
Anne Johnson, Director FTC Green Guides and Packaging Workshop April 30, 2008, Washington, DC
Sustainable Packaging Coalition
• Industry working group with members from across the packaging supply chain • A project of GreenBlue, a 501(c)3 that focuses on implementing sustainability in different industry sectors • Founded in 2004 and now has more than 160 members • Activities
– Provide education on sustainability issues associated with packaging through meetings and outreach – Develop tools and resources to support industry efforts to improve packaging through projects
Creating a Definition for Sustainable Packaging
• • • • • • Developed in 2005 Committee effort (17 members from across the industry) Reflects the consensus of the committee Vision that will evolve over time Aspirational and progressive Grounded by business realities
Why a Definition?
• Critical first step in articulating a common understanding of sustainable packaging • Provides a common framework to – Evaluate current efforts – Identify priorities and opportunities for improving materials, energy, packaging and systems
Sustainable Packaging is packaging that…
• Benefits individuals and communities throughout its life cycle;
Sustainable Packaging is packaging that…
• Benefits individuals and communities throughout its life cycle;
• Meets market criteria for performance and cost;
Sustainable Packaging is packaging that…
• Benefits individuals and communities throughout its life cycle; • Meets market criteria for performance and cost;
• Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy;
Sustainable Packaging is packaging that…
• Benefits individuals and communities throughout its life cycle; • Meets market criteria for performance and cost; • Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy;
• Is made from renewable or recycled source materials;
Sustainable Packaging is packaging that…
• Benefits individuals and communities throughout its life cycle; • Meets market criteria for performance and cost; • Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy; • Is made from renewable or recycled source materials;
• Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices;
Sustainable Packaging is packaging that…
• Benefits individuals and communities throughout its life cycle; • Meets market criteria for performance and cost; • Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy; • Is made from renewable or recycled source materials; • Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices;
• Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios;
Sustainable Packaging is packaging that…
• Benefits individuals and communities throughout its life cycle; • Meets market criteria for performance and cost; • Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy; • Is made from renewable or recycled source materials; • Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices; • Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios;
• Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy;
Sustainable Packaging is packaging that…
• Benefits individuals and communities throughout its life cycle; • Meets market criteria for performance and cost; • Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy; • Is made from renewable or recycled source materials; • Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices; • Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios; • Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy;
• Is effectively collected and recovered in biological or industrial cycles.
Key Elements
• Vision not a “standard” • Comprehensive in scope - addresses the entire life cycle of packaging • Systems oriented – cannot reach sustainable outcomes without supply chain collaboration • No one criteria is more important than another • No current packaging meets all of these criteria • Not a marketing claim
Claims of “Sustainable Packaging”
• Sustainable packaging is composed of many criteria none of which in isolation or in limited combination can accurately describe a sustainable system (e.g., renewable materials or energy efficiency not sufficient to support a claim of sustainability) • Currently, no accepted set of criteria with supporting test methods or validation procedures exist to qualify a package as sustainable • Call a spade a spade – make specific claims supported by specific and validated information