Symrise advances zero waste strategy with single-use packaging alternatives

15 Sep 2020 --- Symrise has introduced several single-use packaging alternatives as part of its zero-waste strategy. The company now uses paper bags instead of plastic bags and large barrels instead of small canisters to economize on materials and space throughout its supply chain.

PackagingInsights speaks with Bernhard Kott, chief sustainability officer at Symrise, about how environmentally sustainable this transition truly is.

“Climate protection was and is of particular interest to Symrise. We have always made sure to design our production with the environment in mind to consider ecological aspects in our planning,” Kott notes. 

Reducing plastic and reusing materials
Symrise has replaced plastic bags with paper substitutes in its production and logistics. Plastic containers are now also replaced by metal ones for use in laboratories. 

Click to EnlargeSymrise is using IBCs to reduce small-scale plastic consumption.A recent report details that plastic is not so much the enemy as is its disposal. Responding to this, Kott says: “Cardboard boxes present the ideal solution for packaging solid materials. Due to their low weight, we can also optimize logistics and minimize our CO2 footprint along the value chain further.” 

“For years, we have been working to continuously reduce our plastic consumption and further refine our plastic policy. We work closely with our customers to minimize waste along the entire value chain. Especially in terms of plastic,” he adds.

To reduce its use of paper further, Symrise is also implementing reusable barrels to transport bags, resulting in fewer single-use boxes for its powder products. 

For liquid products, the company is working with different intermediate bulk container (IBC) types to thoroughly clean them and replace only the parts that come into contact with the product. 

Reusable packaging has been greatly cited as contributing to a functioning circular economy; however, it lacks consumer convenience and user-friendliness in comparison to single-use packaging.

Transportation sizes and carbon footprint
Symrise also uses large barrels instead of multiple small canisters “wherever possible.” To achieve this, the company works closely with its customers to optimize container size and deliver cost advantages. 

Such alternatives often require a smaller logistics area for transport. They also reduce the need for additional packaging materials, which in turn lowers CO2 emissions. 

Click to EnlargeScanning the QR codes provides additional information on Symrise’s ambitions to lessen its carbon footprint.Concerned with its corporate carbon footprint, Symrise is taking the next step with its carbon offsetting initiative for cardboard boxes, which was initiated in Germany in March 2020. The company is calculating its carbon footprint for different packaging materials. 

Symrise marks every box with a QR code. This links to a website with information on sustainability projects the company supports to offset unavoidable emissions. A CO2 clock permanently shows the already-saved CO2 value on the company’s website.

“Through carbon offsetting, we can both make up for unavoidable emissions and also support sustainable projects in the countries we operate,” affirms Dr. Helmut Frieden, vice president of corporate sustainability at Symrise. 

Ultimately, the company’s “strong growth dynamic” presents a challenge. “To achieve our goals, we accept additional costs. At the same time, we can compensate for these through process optimization. By 2030 we will run our business climate positive,” Kott concludes.

By Anni Schleicher

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