Certified success: SIG’s SIGNATURE PACK gets ISO-conformant lifecycle assessment

12 Nov 2018 --- SIGNATURE PACK from SIG has become the world’s first mass balance product to be confirmed by a critically reviewed ISO-conformant lifecycle assessment (LCA). The pack is linked to 100 percent plant-based renewable materials, mixed with conventional fossil raw materials to produce polymers.

The LCA showed significant reductions in environmental impacts across all ten categories as a result of the substitution of fossil-based polymers with mass balance plant-based polymers made from tall oil (a by-product of paper manufacturing). SIGNATURE PACK’s carbon footprint is, on average, 66 percent lower than that of a standard SIG 1-liter carton pack of the same format, based on the Europe-wide LCA.

SIG is a leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic packaging. In 2017, SIG produced 33.6 billion carton packs and generated €1.66 billion (US$1.87 billion) in revenue. Sustainability is something they strive for and according to an official statement they say: “Our overarching ambition is to be net positive by contributing more to society and the environment than we take out – across our value chain.”

“By 2030, we will halve our environmental impact and double our benefit to society. All our raw materials will come from certified responsible sources. And our packaging solutions will be the most sustainable on the market.” 
Certainly a challenging and ambitious promise on their part.” 

Furthermore, as a SIG spokesperson tells PackagingInsights, “the topic of sustainability is probably at its hottest at the moment and the awareness will probably only continue to increase. As a packaging company, we take sustainability very seriously and it is part of everything we do here.”

“Technology within our industry is continuously evolving and it’s difficult to box up a list of limitations in product development. However, as circular economy continues to gain momentum, we need to be even more critical at each step in our product development to ensure that our already sustainable and recyclable carton packaging is fully captured at its end-of-life and the materials reused for a new purpose,” they add.

“The environmental impacts of every product innovation at SIG are evaluated through Europe-wide LCAs that conform with the rigorous requirements of recognized ISO standards. The results for SIGNATURE PACK show that SIG’s innovative mass balance approach has significant environmental benefits,” says Udo Felten, Manager Product Related Global Environmental Sustainability & Affairs at SIG.

According to SIG, the polymers in SIGNATURE PACK are linked to 100 percent plant-based materials, mixed with conventional fossil raw materials to produce polymers. The total percentages of each are balanced via recognized and audited certification schemes to ensure traceability and accountability. 

The LCA of SIGNATURE PACK was conducted by the Institut für Energie und Umweltforschung (IFEU/Institute for Energy and Environmental Research) in Germany, in accordance with recognized international standards. The IFEU agreed to the assessment as they believe SIG’s mass balance approach could maybe make polymer production more sustainable.

“The application of the mass balance approach in the production of polymers is an important driver to facilitate an increasing substitution of fossil resources by biogenic resources for the production of polymers,” addsFrank Wellenreuther, Project Manager at IFEU. 

The SIGNATURE PACK’s value lies in driving the industry to explore sustainable manufacturing solutions and support the transition towards a circular economy, as well as meeting consumer expectations of more environmentally responsible products. 

A recent example of the Combidome in use is Picnik’s butter coffee creamer which launched in the 750ml carton from SIG. The carton has a single-action screw cap, known as the domeTwist, which enables a smooth pouring experience and ease of handling. The product is initially available in the US. 

Looking forward, the SIG spokesperson adds: “We have many ideas and projects planned within our innovation pipeline, and I can say with confidence that sustainability is definitely a criteria that is assessed as part of a new product or service development and follows our Corporate Responsibility and our Way Beyond Good program.”

By Kristiana Lalou