Mondi and Pacoon partner in bid to spread “fact-based” recycling education

17 Apr 2019 --- Global packaging giant Mondi and Munich-based design consultancy Pacoon have partnered to offer a digital interactive map demonstrating differing waste approaches across the world, which the companies hope will better educate both consumers and businesses on sustainable packaging and recycling behavior.

“Our first approach is to reach out to brandowners and packaging producers to help them choose the right packaging concept. We offer the map for free download, and also wish that they enter further data in our online survey to help complete and update the world map,” Peter Désilets, Managing Director of Pacoon, tells PackagingInsights. “Wherever we give presentations or advise customers, the world map is key part of the decision making process to develop the best packaging concept.”

Consumers often lack understanding about the complexities of materials composition, when paper or plastic is the best option, and the development of recycling technologies and global cooperation that is expanding the array of fully recyclable products, the company explains.

Educating the end consumer
As more consumers are expressing interest in eco-friendly packaging, stakeholders across the value chain are facing mounting pressure to ensure that sustainable solutions are being fast-tracked. But more education is needed to facilitate ubiquitous change.

And fact-based recycling education is vital, the companies note. Global data analyses by country shows real life waste treatment practices, including deposit laws, combustion/incineration, recycling, landfilling and additional information on local country laws which confirms that a one size fits all approach to sustainable recycling and waste practices will not work.

“Countries with little recycling infrastructure or landfill would be better served by compostable packaging. Organic brands may be able to rely on renewable raw materials. Countries with a high recycling infrastructure need to focus on recyclability and/or recycled materials. Climatic conditions also influence the use of materials,” says Désilets.

Paper and plastic: not always black and white
Industry researchers are increasingly developing paper- and fiber-based packaging that can offer barriers, thereby replacing plastic foil. This functional paper is a challenge for our industry, but also a great opportunity if they are suitable for fiber recycling streams, Thomas Kahl, Project Manager EcoSolutions for Mondi Consumer Packaging, explains.

Mondi’s view is that packaging should always be fit-for-purpose – paper where possible, plastic when useful – sustainable by design. But a particularly common misnomer is that biodegradable is always better, when in fact it is not. Consumers also have a lack of understanding about the difference between plastics based on fossil or renewable resources. The thinking that plastic-free packaging is better still dominates, even though life cycle analyses show us that plastic packaging is often the most sustainable choice.

“It is possible to produce effective packaging for products such as biscuits or chocolate without using a foil layer. This still amazes people,” Désilets says. Water-based coatings on paper can be used to make sealable or even thermoformable paper grades for direct food contact, for example. Mondi’s perFORMing solution reduces plastic by up to 70 percent by using coated Advantage Formable paper instead of plastic in trays for attractive cheese and cold meat packaging.

Recycling for the future
Advancements in recycling technology already include improved waste collection, better plastic detection, improved sorting of smaller parts, more efficient chemical recycling of multilayer structures and increased PET recycling. As recycling options expand, Désilets expects “compounding and package-design changes to enable a greater use of a combination of recyclates and virgin material in food packaging.”

One of the keys to recycling, according to both Kahl and Désilets, is the need for all stakeholders to take a common approach, since a patchwork of single-country strategies will only serve to undermine the greater mission if not all goals are met. Global communication and collaboration at all stages of product design, development, use, collection, recycling and reuse will be central to future success.