A new report by the Global Packaging Project (GPP) states that the environmental risks of excessive packaging reduction can be greater than excessive packaging.
The report, A Global Language for Packaging and Sustainability, summarizes the work of the GPP to date, and consisted of input coming from projects taking place in ECR Europe, EUROPEN, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC).
The study reports that by reducing packaging excessively, manufacturers can do more harm than good. Though many companies focus on reducing packaging waste as a reasonable proxy for reducing energy intensity and excessive material production, this focus can have negative consequences if it leads to packaging that is too fragile to protect the products it is shipping.
This can result in an increase in products damaged in transit, requiring additional product manufacturing in order to replace the lost originals. Ironically, by trying to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging, companies may simply be shifting, and potentially increasing, the impact of their manufacturing operations.
To read the rest of the report, please go to: Environmental Leader.