packaging sustainability 2006 ema spring meeting
TRANSCRIPT
Packaging Sustainability
2006 EMA Spring Meeting
Interest is Growing
• Albertson• Coca Cola• The Dannon Company• Estee Lauder Company• Johnson & Johnson• Kraft Foods• McDonald’s
• Microsoft• Nike• Pepsi Cola / Frito Lay• REI• Starbucks• Target• Unilever
Members:
How long before you may be asked what you are doing about sustainability?
Vision of Sustainability
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition envisions a world where all packaging is…
Sourced responsibly Designed to be effective and safe throughout its life
cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Made entirely using renewable energy Once used, is recycled efficiently to provide a valuable
resource for subsequent generations In summary: we envision a true cradle to cradle
system for all packaging.
Definition of Packaging Sustainability Is beneficial, safe, and healthy for individuals and
communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled
using renewable energy Maximizes the use of 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 recovered and utilized in biological and /
or industrial cradle-to-cradle cycles
Beginning the Journey No company in the world has achieved a
truly sustainable package. Assess current status (benchmark)
Energy use Materials use Transportation End of life options
Move incrementally to sustainability Develop long term goals Set annual objectives
Sustainability – not entirely about oilBUT – oil drives the economics
At $70/barrel the market will seek out alternatives to petrochemical derived materials and energy sources
There is an oil price point that either drives or diminishes movement to other technologies 1970’s – solar heating/solar panels 1990’s – that market goes bust
Uncertainty will inhibit the progress New technologies are capital intensive Oil was $13/barrel as recently as 1999
Uncertainty in the Oil Fields Petroleum Intelligence Weekly (PIW)
Internal Kuwaiti records reveal that the nation's oil reserves are far below the officially stated amount of about 99 billion barrels.
Simmons and Company analysis of the International Society of Petroleum Engineers statistics on Saudi Arabia: 90% of its oil comes from the five super giant fields discovered
between 1940 and 1965. No new discoveries of giant fields since the 1970’s. Ghawar oil fields are 55-60% of total production - 6.25% of the
world's oil production. The northern regions are almost depleted.
Two other giant fields, Abqaiq and Berri, also seem to have peaked in the 1970s.
Hubbert peak theory – Diminishing new oil discoveries The worldwide peak in oil production has already passed.
Non Sustainable Envelope InksAll Petroleum Based Chemistries
Vehicles – Styrene Acrylic Organic Pigments - bright, clean, intense
Reds and Yellows Azo and Diazo Napthol and Beta Napthols
Blues and Greens Phthalocyanide
Violet aniline Dioxazine
Black Carbon
Additives – Waxes – Defoamers – Wetting agents
Sustainable Envelope InksWhat is Available?
Vehicles – the good news Soy Protein - already commonly used (Soy Seal) Wood based resins – the original water envelope ink
resins – still in use Wood Rosin - aged tree stumps Gum rosin - sap Tall oil rosin - by-products of the paper making process
Methylcellulose – some usage Shellac – Insect secretion - seldom used Casein – milk protein Polysaccharides - agricultural raw materials –
interesting properties for envelope inks Recycled PET – plastic beverage bottles – new PLA (polylactic acid) – derived from corn – new,
nothing yet available for graphic arts
Sustainable Envelope InksWhat is Available? (cont.)
Pigments Natural pigments – made from plants and insects
some examples: Madder root - made from dried, ground roots Indian Lake – derived from the same insects as shellac Anthocyanins – derived from flowers and fruits - bright red to
blue. carotenoids – common to plants -reds, orange, and yellow Betalains – beets or beetroots Cochineal (carmine)– insect based crimson color
Iron Oxide pigments Were manufactured from natural clays but now typically
synthetic The bad news: natural pigments typically lack the color
intensity, strength, permanency, or compatibility as expected from petrochemical derived products.
Oxide pigments are dull muted colors but otherwise suitable
Is landfill disposal sustainable?
No – landfills are “graves” in unsustainable “cradle to grave” approaches to waste
Current reality: the majority of envelopes end up in landfills If the question arises: what is the impact of ink
on the biodegradability of paper? Ink can be broadly described as a plastic
ASTM D 6868-03 – Biodegradable Plastics used as Coatings on Paper and other compostable substrates References lamination and extrusion to paper
ASTM D 6400-04 – Standard Specifications for Compostable Plastics
Ink Effect on Paper Degradation - Composting
ASTM D 6400-04, Section 6.2 Disintegration During Composting Notes that satisfactory disintegration occurs, if after controlled composting, less than 10% of the original dry weight remains after sieving.
Industry Interpretation: The weight fraction of a typically applied ink
comprises so little of the printed paper product total weight as it may not be a consideration in the testing.
Another Viewpoint From a press release on the Internet:
“Several plastics masquerade as biodegradable, but actually break down into tiny invisible bits that could affect the soil and animals such as earthworms. Of the few plastics that are genuinely biodegradable, many contain toxic residues from catalysts. One plastic, that's biodegradable and contains no nasty residues, is called PHB, polyhydroxybutyrate.”
Who will be pushing Envelope Manufacturers to Sustainable Technologies?
Members of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition Direct Mail Advertising Letterhead Envelopes Consumer monthly statements – bill payments
Environmental groups Sierra Club Nature Conservancy Many others
Non Profits Government Agencies The EMA – Sustainability is in everyone’s best interest
Waste Programs Ink Companies use of ink separators
Fluid Inks – separate water from solids Offset inks –
Reclamation through recycling Solids created
Printing Companies Some have separators for Flexo Inks Offset inks handled by waste companies – recycle not practical
Cost of Flexo Water Waste lower than cost of Water Ink Waste –
Reduce amount of ink at press (go from 5 gallon pail to smaller quantity)
Chambered systems require less ink and thus creates less waste
Stay open ink systems creates less waste NO skin on ink that needs to be thrown away Less press clean up because of drying up on the press
VOC Issues Flexo Water Inks –
Alcohol eliminated from most water inks pH Neutral Inks reduce the Amines that are main
VOC in current products Costs slightly higher printer
Offset Inks High Solid Inks provide low VOC products Some New Offset Inks are VOC free Costs are higher for printer
Press Washes Low VOC Products available Costs are about the same Some products not as effective
Contact Information Flint Group
Michael Impastato 1-314-200-9127 [email protected]
INX International Joe Kelly 1-630-681-7131 [email protected]
Kohl Madden John Vogel 410-903-3501 [email protected]