New product packaging reduces toxic plastic waste

Consumer packaging dumps 19 million metric tons of plastic waste into the environment each year, according to the nonprofit advocacy group Beyond Plastics.

Experts say we can do better.

Companies and consumers need to move “away from plastics in packaging, towards more sustainable alternatives,” says Aidan Charron, associate director of Global Earth Day. Many businesses are heeding the call.

“Some brands are looking to improve their packaging footprint because their customers are demanding it. Others are looking to meet regulations that are increasingly coming online,” says Valerie Langer, principal at Canopy, a global nonprofit that helps brands shift to next-gen ecofriendly materials.

Beyond responsibly sourced paper, there are plenty of other emerging alternatives to plastic, including packaging made from mushrooms, seaweed and wheat straw. How are brands shifting their packaging strategies? To tame the scourge of plastic water bottles, Boxed Water sells hydration in (you guessed it) plant-based cartons.

“Ninety-two percent of the carton is made up of a renewable resource” that can be regrown, says Daryn Kuipers, CEO of the Michigan-based company.

Plants to the rescue

“The paper comes from certified FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) forests — forests that are being replenished,”Kuipers says. “And every time someone posts a picture of our carton (on) their social media and shares it, we plant two trees. Over the lifetime of this company, we’ve already planted one-and-a-half million trees in our country’s national forests.”

And what about those “next-gen” materials? Here, too, leading brands are making moves:

Bamboo

Dell Technologies has pivoted to packaging made of bamboo, “an extraordinary material chosen for its fast growth rate, exceptional fiber strength and durability,” says Oliver Campbell, director and distinguished engineer ofsustainability. “This innovation allowed us to protect our technology products effectively while minimizingenvironmental impact,” he says.

Aluminum

CleanCult puts its household cleaning products into refillable paper-based cartons and aluminum bottles. “Aluminum is durable, infinitely recyclable, and easy for consumers to recycle correctly when the time comes,” says CEO and co-founder Ryan Lupberger.

Nespresso takes a similar approach with its coffee pods. “Our original capsules are made using at least 80 percent recycled aluminum, and most Vertuo capsules are made using at least 85 percent recycled aluminum,”says Jessica Padula, the company’s vice president of marketing and head of sustainability.

Starch-based foam

Wild Alaskan Company uses Green Cell Foam by TemperPack, “a starch-based foam insulating material,” says packaging manager Garrett McMullen.

The foam “does double duty when it comes to sustainability: It’s made from a non-fossil fuel renewable resource, and it gives members an easy and responsible way to dispose of the material after it’s done its job. Simply pour water directly on the Green Cell Foam and it quickly dissolves in the sink, trash or even a garden’s compost bin.”

Some next-gen solutions come with tradeoffs. “Whether it’s mushrooms, or an agricultural fiber like wheat strawor rice straw or pineapple leaves, you also have to look at things like what’s happening to the soil, to make surethat we’re not … actually replacing food lands with packaging agricultural lands,” Langer says.

Use less movement

Shiki Wrap, for example, aims to replace tons of landfill-bound paper gift wrap with reusable fabric gift bags and wraps made from sustainable fabrics.

“Most gift wrap is not recyclable but even the wrap that is recyclable requires and pollutes an enormous amount of water to produce and recycle,” says the brand’s founder Meagan Downey.

Apparel brand Patagonia likewise takes a less-is-more approach to packaging, says Jennifer Patrick, global packaging and branding director.

Seaweed, bamboo and other materials hold much promise — “there are some really innovative materials out there,” she says. But for now, “100 percent recycled FSC paper is really the most environmentally friendly substrate available today that you can use.” That being the case, the company is trying to use less of it.

“All of our gloves hang on a header card that has a cutout, and we have a loop inside the glove that hangs on,” she says. By redesigning the card dimensions, “We were able to save about 30 percent of the materials we wereusing.”

The company likewise pivoted away from using multiple paper tags on clothing, instead using a single tag with a QR code that people can scan for more product information.

“Out of the gate, the first season, we saved over 175,000 pounds of paper from landfills,” she says.