08 Sep The Challenges of Sustainable Packaging
It was not long ago when businesses and customers did not give a second thought to the materials used in packaging. Environmentally-destructive packaging was commonly used due to its low cost and accessibility. However, with the movement growing for a sustainable future, times are changing.
As we progress through time, more and more businesses and consumers are looking for sustainable packaging solutions. Nevertheless, packaging items in a sustainable manner is easier said than done. Let’s take a look at the challenges of packaging items with corporate sustainability in mind.
Common Sustainable Packaging Mistakes to Avoid
Pinpointing truly sustainable packaging materials that can be recycled yet prove durable requires extensive research, testing, and money. While some packaging is comparably easy to recycle, there is a good chance it is not as durable as others. Furthermore, packaging that holds strong is not guaranteed to be recycled with ease.
In short, it is hard to obtain the proper balance between packaging quality, durability, and corporate sustainability.
Those responsible for packaging are likely to make packaging that is either too fragile for future use or recycling. Others make the mistake of investing a considerable amount of money attempting to build the perfect sustainable packaging that might not yield the intended result of corporate sustainability.
The Subtleties of Packaging Make Sustainability Inherently Challenging
No two products are packaged in the same manner. Plenty of products are packaged in a way that does not permit recycling.
For example, the packaging of specific products such as plastic bottles, tubes of toothpaste, coffee cups, as well as chips and containers, might not permit recycling. Plenty of such products require the use of Styrofoam chunks or “peanuts” that cannot be recycled. Packaging materials that cannot be recycled does not advance corporate sustainability.
Everyday Packaging is not Guaranteed to be Sustainable
Use your mind’s eye to envision a box used to transport a freshly-baked calzone. Some of the cheese, oil, and sauce leaks through the calzone and saturates the box below. Such a box can only be used once. Even if this type of packaging were to be cleaned, it would prove difficult, if not impossible to recycle. This is just one of the many different ways in which packaging can be compromised to the point that it is single-use only.
However, companies are making inroads in the push to create and implement recyclable packaging that holds steady and proves sustainable. It might not be long until the vast majority of packaging proves sustainable, providing utility well beyond the initial use.