Eco Friendly Packaging Guide
The move to carbon neutral is dependent on Eco Friendly Packaging especially as the world population continues to grow. The need for sustainable options is vastly becoming one of the most important issues that a globalised world faces. According to the United Nations one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute globally, and as business and governments become more eco-conscious due to rising consumer concern the need for Eco Friendly Packaging is paramount.
If we circle back to Plastic Bottles quickly, great efforts have been made to move away from virgin PET to a more sustainable rPET (Recycled PET). You will find most of the large drinks producers, such as Coca Cola & PepsiCo moving to a more sustainable model. You will even find the caps are now attached to the bottle as both can be recycled together. We were an early adopter in rPET Juice Bottles, and provide a wide range of sizes to ensure our customers are able to service the market they operate in.
While the moves in rPET for the drinks market are a benefit to the environment in general, there are other areas where plastic packaging is being recycled en masse to service other industries. PCR (Post Consumer Recycled) plastic bottles make up a large percentage of our core range as we move away from virgin plastics. The move to PCR has not only just an environmental impact but also a financial one as well. Both the UK and the European Union have moved to adopt the Plastic Packaging Tax which applies to any plastic products with less than 30% recycled material. The European Union is yet to fully launch this across bloc like the UK has, countries like Spain & Italy have already made provisions for the tax domestically.
How does the introduction of PCR & rPEt affect you as a business and just as importantly your customers? Well, frankly quite a lot. Your demand is based on your consumers and they are demanding sustainable options. Again, we were an early adopter of PCR packaging and you will now find at least 30% recycled plastic in our ranges of coloured bottles, clear plastic bottles and much more.
Glass has often been thrown into the mix when it comes to sustainable packaging, but is it really as green as it claims to be? Some would argue yes, and some no. Glass takes a great amount of energy to create and yes, while it is made usually from recycled material, is the CO2 outlay offset properly? Not in all cases. When purchasing glass you need to be informed of the environmental impact your products have. This is something we are totally transparent about at Amphorea and our account managers are happy to have an open and frank discussion based on your needs.
Last, but by no means least, we have our new range of Aluminium Bottles. These are truly sustainable as they can be recycled time and time again without losing integrity or the quality. Additionally, as the melting point of Aluminium is one third that of glass, the environmental impact is much smaller. The costs are higher for aluminium, but so are the environmental rewards. They should always be front and centre when you are looking for Eco Friendly Packaging solutions.
If you would like to discuss moving your business to a sustainable model our dedicated sales team will work with you to drive growth while improving your eco credentials. Contact our team now to find out more!
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