With environmental sustainability now central to consumer consciousness, the people at Epsilyte say that demand has expanded exponentially for eco-friendly packaging made of renewable materials quickly biodegrading after use instead of lingering in landfills and oceans. Options like biodegradable EPS foam increasingly represent the packaging future that both meets commercial business and ecological world needs.
Surging Use of Recyclables
Recyclable packaging containing reused materials or those easily divertible for repurposing after consumption are surging in popularity. Despite many packaging forms accepted for recycling in theory, real-world recycling rates remain low. Opportunities exist for recyclable innovations like:
- Plant-based barrier films reprocessed into new materials.
- Reused waste metals or glass cleaned for restoration.
- Products with recognized recycling logos for easy separation.
Designing products purposefully created for recycling brings packaging closer to the elusive “closed loop” concept that is so critical environmentally.
Rise of Renewable Resources
An increasing number of products utilize renewable resources within packaging production itself. Innovations include:
- Bagasse, a natural sugarcane fiber that serves as an alternative to paper pulp.
- Plant byproduct substrates cultivated as sustainable alternatives to foam.
- Certified paper/cardboard from responsibly managed forests.
When renewable materials replace less sustainable options directly, it keeps millions of tons of plastics, metals and other materials otherwise mined and processed specifically for packaging out of circulation annually, which is a hugely impactful advantage.
Advances Around Compostable Packaging
New bioplastics using plant-based instead of petroleum-based compounds have emerged allowing packaging to dissolve under home composting conditions. Nevertheless, many carry the label “compostable” without meeting the testing standards confirming appropriate disintegration based on backyards rather than industrial facilities. Advances lie in:
- Home compost certification protocols to validate legitimate claims.
- Materials like PLA plastics that break down within 3 to 6 months in standard composting environments.
Validating claims around true compostability prevents misleading consumers who are interested in ethical end-of-life disposal while supporting development of reliably biodegrading options.
Promise Around Edible Packaging
Edible food wrappers allowing the packaging itself to be eaten as the final product utilization represent an intriguing possibility. However, materials, production costs, and food safety standards remain barriers to mainstream viability. Traction surrounds:
- R&D of edible seaweed or milk protein wraps as sustainable barriers.
- Partnerships simplifying costs via packaging co-creation with food brands.
- Advocating regulatory groups to shape responsible standards.
While the ideal of “waste free” edible packaging is still emerging, potentially eliminating the need for separate packaging could transform environmental impacts industry-wide.
Call To Carefully Validate Green Claims
Packaging of all types continues aggressively marketing itself with “eco” and “sustainable” claims looking to capitalize on consumer demand for greener products. This necessitates careful examination of supporting evidence around stated biodegradability, compostability, or recycling rates by independent certification groups before accepting messaging at face value. Scrutiny especially applies to common packaging like snack bags and beverage cups now commonly labeled as “bio” without data corroborating such designations meaningful in real-world contexts.
Progress Undeniably Underway
The packaging landscape is actively evolving to be more planet-friendly through consumer pressures, non-profit campaigns, business commitments and green-focused startups. However, organizations must carefully research packaging sustainability claims before incorporating solutions not meaningfully tested beyond surface-level promises. Prioritize solutions like biodegradable EPS that is proven compliant under strict biodegrading scientific standards or recyclable paper-based containers containing high post-consumer waste content.
Conclusion
The trajectory is clearly headed towards packaging in harmony with the environment across every stage from material inputs to end-of-life decomposition. Undoubtedly much work remains translating the present early wave of eco-alternatives into mature large-scale solutions underpinning the mainstream future. Make no mistake though, sustainable packaging is rising and here to stay.
