Tyler Packaging’s recyclable pet food packs outperform alternatives in life cycle assessment

23 Mar 2021 --- UK-based Tyler Packaging’s 100 percent recyclable plastic laminate pet food packaging has “come out on top” in the results of a recent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), conducted through consulting firm Trayak and overseen by the Pet Sustainability Coalition.

The LCA analyzed the environmental impacts of five of Tyler Packaging’s most common packaging solutions in pet food to inform the company’s customers and accelerate environmentally sustainable product innovation.

A Tyler Packaging spokesperson shares the manufacturer’s findings with PackagingInsights. 

“We needed to ensure the packaging was just as good – if not better – as our current formats, in terms of barrier, appearance and machinability. It needed to at least match up to our current offering for our customers to really consider it.”

LCA results
Alongside Tyler’s 100 percent recyclable packaging, the LCA also analyzed the company’s PET, PET MET, CLEAR PE, compostable pouch, poly woven sack and paper laminated bag.

The total environmental impact of each packaging solution was measured through five production phases: 

• The material phase of extracting and processing materials.
• The manufacturing phase of manufacturing or conversion processes companies use to add value and create the product.
• The use phase consumption of resources such as electricity, fuel or other consumables.
• The transportation phase through methods (road, rail air and sea), and the distances traveled. 
• The end-of-life phase in typical waste management streams. 

The 100 percent recyclable packaging ranked lower than PET or PE in all seven environmental indexes measured, giving it a considerably lower environmental impact than its rivas. 

Tyler’s 100 percent recyclable pouch.The analysis also found if a customer switched from Tyler Packaging’s PET/PE solution, they could use 16 percent less fossil fuel, make a 21 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and use 26 percent less water.

The PET/PE ranked higher in most categories than other packaging solutions, with the highest impact on water use. Second to this was the poly woven sack, largely due to having more mass per bag.

“In the future, our next steps are to incorporate 30 percent bio-based and 30 percent recycled content options,” the spokesperson says. 

Sustainability in pet food packaging
The products’ environmental impacts were calculated in seven different categories: fossil fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, freshwater eutrophication, mineral resource use, human impact and freshwater ecotoxicity.

While the results are promising for Tyler Packaging, the spokesperson also concedes the pet food business faces considerable difficulties in improving sustainability standards. 

“Sustainability is important in all sectors, not just pet food. However, we do deal with a few challenges that are particularly prevalent in the pet food industry,” they note.

“For instance, we’re working with large format packs up to 15-18 kg, not just small pack weight. Both ensure the packaging is leakproof and drop testing is vital.”

The results give important indicators to the company on how to develop in the future. 

“This LCA has allowed us insight into which direction to take our packaging innovations in the future when moving toward a circular economy and to reduce packaging waste,” adds Adam Kay, sales and technical director for Tyler Packaging.

“It has also allowed us to share our findings with customers to help them navigate the world of packaging and give them scientific data on which is the best path forward.”

By Louis Gore-Langton