DS Smith R&D director: Barrier technology pivotal for fiber packaging solutions

11 Feb 2022 --- Fiber-based packaging demand is surging, driven by e-commerce growth and plastic pollution concerns. In this interview with PackagingInsights, Susana Aucejo, senior R&D director at DS Smith, explains why barrier technology is crucial for replacing hard-to-recycle plastics and explores the e-commerce packaging leader’s latest barrier innovation.

What are the main trends in fiber-based packaging?
Aucejo: Over half (51%) of retail sales globally are a result of online shopping, and this e-commerce growth shows no sign of abating. At the same time, there is mounting pressure on retailers and brands to live up to consumers’ sustainability expectations.

Both trends are putting pressure on supply chains – and the packaging that these goods travel in. So, we need to get the packaging right. Doing so makes for a more efficient supply chain and reduces the packaging and item’s impact on the environment. Packaging that is expertly designed and fit-for-purpose can help to reduce waste in several ways – including preventing items from being damaged and returned and reducing the amount of packaging used, benefitting both a brand’s reputation and the environment.

Why is fiber-based packaging integral to improved environmental sustainability?
Aucejo: Fiber-based packaging has the highest recycling rates of any packaging and is therefore the ideal choice for brands looking to make their supply chains more sustainable. At DS Smith, our box-to-box business model means that we can recycle cardboard and use its fibers in new packaging in just two weeks. Additionally, we’re able to recycle fibers up to 25 times, making sure we keep materials in circulation for longer.

Of course, other materials have alternative properties, such as plastic being able to keep food fresh for long shelf life applications and act as a barrier to liquid. It’s important that we harness these useful properties in cardboard packaging and ensure our cardboard boxes are as strong as possible to reduce the number of hard-to-recycle plastics in circulation and prevent further plastic litter from making its way into the sea. Following the recent global push to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans, there could not be a more pertinent time to ensure that we are eliminating hard-to-recycle plastics.According to DS Smith, over half (51%) of retail sales globally are made through e-commerce.

How does barrier technology allow you to replace hard-to-recycle plastics?
Aucejo: Barrier technology development and innovation are pivotal to this effort of using fiber-based packaging to replace packaging solutions and applications that contain hard-to-recycle plastics. Innovations in surface treatments, coating formulations and technologies of application are key to developing recyclable corrugated board boxes able to contribute to the reduction in the use of plastic. This involves supplementing fibers to make products stronger and water-resistant to emulate the properties of plastic packaging. 

What are the considerations when designing effective barriers?
Aucejo: Protecting e-commerce goods in transit from when they enter a box in the supply chain to the point of delivery to the customer is essential. But not every journey is the same. It is key that the right barrier is used on each box to optimize it for performance and sustainability. From how it is applied and its efficiency to considerations such as how easily it allows the board to be folded into a box – designers must take everything into account.

Through the supply chain, boxes can be subjected to various pollutants, such as water, humidity, and grease. All of these can cause damage to the packaging and its contents if not adequately protected.

The challenge lies in which material is used to manufacture these barriers. DS Smith harnesses the experience and expertise of its designers to optimize packaging barriers for recycling. If a traditional plastic solution is to be used, this should be fully recyclable or have properties that allow the plastic to break down in the recycling process. At DS Smith, our threshold is that a conventional plastic barrier should make up no more than 5% of the box’s content otherwise this will reduce its recyclability.DS Smith has innovated a barrier that uses biodegradable and water-soluble polymers.

What barrier technologies are rising to prominence?
Aucejo: Sustainable lamination technology is one possible option for fiber solutions that could replace hard-to-recycle plastics in packaging in traditional or e-commerce channels. A thin plastic layer can be laminated on top of the fiberboard, and we can ensure that this constitutes less than 5% of the box. There are also alternatives of non-plastic materials for lamination giving barrier properties for certain applications.

DS Smith’s R&D team has created a further innovative barrier option that uses biodegradable and water-soluble polymers to protect a box on its journey to the customer. These can be separated from the recyclable fibers during the recycling process. Therefore, these plastic alternatives could, in theory, constitute more than 5% of the box if necessary, as the consumer is not being relied on to make the separation. Using recyclable plastic alternatives is beneficial for the environment, as it means hard plastics are removed from circulation, and the adoption of biodegradable fibers means there is less contamination in the recycling process.

In other instances, the plastic layer can be eliminated entirely using a substitute such as coating or varnishes. Different formulations of coatings are under investigation at DS Smith’s R&D Programme. These coatings are robust to protect the box whilst also working toward 100% recyclability – and a circular economy.

What are the long-term goals at DS Smith?
Aucejo: As we look to the future, our R&D team continues to put sustainability at the heart of our innovation process, aligning with DS Smith’s Circular Economy-led Now and Next Sustainability strategy, which pledges to offer all customers 100% recyclable packaging within two years. As part of our £100 million (US$136 million) R&D investment, a key focus of ours will be accelerating investment in new materials, including expansion of barrier technologies, which can be utilized in e-commerce packaging.

The options for barrier technologies continue to expand, and fiber-based solutions are challenging the misconception that plastic is the best protection for goods in transit. Not only can they provide proper protection, but their recyclability makes them more sustainable too.

By Joshua Poole