Stopping Styrofoam: New England Biolabs switches to paper-based recyclable cold chain cooler

29 Apr 2020 --- New England Biolabs (NEB) is transitioning away from packaging with expanded polystyrene (EPS) – commonly known as Styrofoam – that often winds up in landfills. The company’s new ClimaCell cooler is a 100 percent recyclable paper-based packaging alternative for shipping food products across the cold chain. NEB highlights that the new packaging maintains the proper shipping temperature conditions for its products while minimizing the company’s impact on the environment.

“We are excited to partner with NEB in its efforts to implement a more sustainable solution for its shipping process. Not only are they helping to eliminate EPS from landfills, but the transition to the ClimaCell shipper represents a 25 percent reduction in carbon emissions,” says James McGoff, Founder of TemperPack. The US company specializes in environmentally sustainable solutions for cold chain shipping and designed ClimaCell for NEB.

The ClimaCell box consists of the exterior box, the ClimaCell insert and two gel packs that provide additional shipping protection.The exterior box is recyclable after unpacking with other corrugated cardboard. The ClimaCell is a paper-based insert that performs as well as EPS in terms of cooling functions. The shipped products are placed between two gel packs from PackEdge and made from a durable film combination that prevents delamination, as well as a transparent film, enabling efficient cargo screening.

Company research found that the container insulation and gel packs’ thermal capacity maintained an internal container temperature below 15°C for approximately 12 hours beyond its typical shipment window for the ISTA 7D summer test. This was extended to approximately 19.5 hours for the continuous 24°C test.

Changes in the cold chain packaging sector
Referred to as the “gold standard for cold shipping” due to its light, durable and insulative properties, cold chain shipping has not deviated far from EPS packaging. As many products mostly require shipment on ice or dry ice, maintaining shipping temperature conditions is also critical, mainly when shipping long distances or to warmer climates.

Difficult to recycle, EPS often ends up in landfills. Tackling this, NEB maintains its 40-year-long shipping box recycling program, which enables customers to use the free return label and send their shipping box back to NEB for re-use. “Until we identify additional solutions, NEB will still rely on EPS coolers for a portion of our products, including those that require shipment on dry ice as well as larger shipments,” the company states.

The launch coincides with Innova Market Insights’ Top 3 Trend, “Packing an e-Punch,” given recyclability and end-of-life cycle have become increasingly important issues for consumers.

Notable solutions include Sealed Air’s redesigned, fully recyclable Mail Lite mailer, which boasts easily-separable recyclable components and a co-extruded inner bubble cushioning made of at least 60 percent recycled content.

Edited by Anni Schleicher

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