Soluções de embalagem sustentáveis: Liderando um futuro verde

The packaging industry is the link and bridge between factories and consumers. However, with the development of global industrialization, the environmental problems caused by traditional packaging have raised concerns. As a result, sustainable packaging has emerged as a new trend in the industry. In this article, Embalagens Huiyang will explore sustainable packaging solutions.

Limitations of Traditional Packaging

Most of the raw materials for traditional packaging are petroleum extracts. This material is cheap, has excellent physical properties, and is cost-effective. However, its chemical structure is very stable and difficult to be decomposed by bacteria and microorganisms. It exists in the natural environment for hundreds of years or even longer, causing long-term harm to the ecosystem. These non-degradable plastic wastes are dumped in the soil, rivers, and oceans, forming “white trash”, which not only affects the environment but also destroys the balance of the ecosystem. According to statistics, at least 8 million tons of plastic waste flows into the ocean every year, posing a huge threat to the survival of marine life. Once marine animals eat this garbage, their respiratory system will be blocked, or even die. In addition, plastics produce a large amount of carbon dioxide during the production process. The emission of this greenhouse gas also contributes to global warming.

Comparatively speaking, paper packaging is relatively environmentally friendly during post-processing, but its production process consumes a large amount of wood resources, and improper disposal can also cause environmental pollution. In addition, the relatively poor barrier properties of a single paper-based package do not make it the most desirable sustainable packaging.

The Rise of Sustainable Packaging Concepts

With the gradual enhancement of people’s environmental awareness and the advancement of material science, sustainable packaging is no longer just a concept, and people have worked tirelessly to transform conceptual sustainable packaging into reality. Such packaging is recyclable and can be decomposed by bacteria and microorganisms, thus reducing resource consumption and pollutant emissions.

Seleção de materiais

• Fully biodegradable:For example: 1. Polylactic acid (PLA) is made from corn starch and plant roots through fermentation polymerization. 2. Polyhydroxy fatty acid esters (PHA): a polymer that can be produced through microbial fermentation. 3. Polycaprolactone (PCL): a semi-crystalline polyester with good biocompatibility and biodegradability.
• Photodegradable material:this material can be decomposed under sunlight. A photosensitizer is added to the raw material, which breaks down the material into small molecules under the action of ultraviolet light, and microorganisms can further break it down. However, if there is not enough light, there will be residue. There are still some limitations.
• Oxidative degradation of materials:By adding oxidizing agents, the degradation of the material can be accelerated after sufficient contact with oxygen.
• Chemical degradation materials:Such materials need to be degraded by some chemical reaction. For example, some polyester materials can be degraded by hydrolysis in water.

Recycling

This material is easy to recycle and is one of the important principles of sustainable packaging. After the first use, this kind of packaging can be washed and reused again to reduce waste emissions and environmental pollution. For example, using a single material to make packaging containers can save raw materials, simplify the subsequent recycling process and improve recycling efficiency.

Reduction

Reducing the use of packaging materials is also key to sustainable packaging development. By optimizing the structure of materials, packaging can be made lighter and more compact, while reducing energy consumption and waste generation during transportation. For example, some food manufacturers use vacuum packaging technology to extend the shelf life of food products, avoid the inconvenience caused by long-distance transportation, and reduce the use of packaging materials to achieve green environmental protection.

Application Cases of Sustainable Packaging

In recent years, many well-known companies at home and abroad have embarked on sustainable packaging programs aimed at growing their businesses while reducing their environmental impact. For example, a well-known international fast food chain brand will replace all its packaging with 100% recyclable materials in the next five years. Some large milk tea chains have fully implemented biodegradable and recyclable packaging.

The Development and Challenges of Sustainable Packaging

It is indisputable that sustainable packaging has many advantages, but it still faces many challenges in practical application. For example, there is the issue of the cost of sustainable packaging materials, which have higher research and development costs and investments than ordinary materials. Using sustainable packaging will unintentionally increase the consumer price of the final product.
For the same product, one is packaged with biodegradable materials and the other with non-biodegradable materials. It can be seen that the plain packaging has a greater price advantage. Not all consumers are willing to pay for environmental protection. In order to overcome these obstacles, we need to start from the following aspects:

1. Technological innovation: reduce the cost of sustainable packaging through technological innovation.
2. Government support: The government should formulate relevant policies to provide appropriate subsidies and support for the promotion of sustainable packaging, and to promote sustainable packaging in people’s minds. Only then will business owners take the initiative to adopt sustainable packaging solutions.
3. Consumer education: Raise public awareness and make people deeply realize the necessity of promoting sustainable packaging.

Economic Benefits of Sustainable Packaging

In addition to its positive contribution to the environment, the promotion of green packaging also brings certain social benefits. It promotes the positive development of the green industry chain and facilitates the upgrading and transformation of upstream and downstream industries. At the same time, it helps shape the positive image of plastic manufacturing enterprises and improve their market competitiveness. As consumers’ environmental awareness improves, companies that choose sustainable packaging can gain higher visibility and thus better market competitiveness.

Changes in Consumer Behavior

As environmental awareness spreads, more and more young people are paying attention to the environmental attributes of packaging when they consume and are willing to pay higher prices for sustainable packaging. This is also forcing companies to continuously improve their packaging strategies and develop packaging solutions that meet both functional needs and sustainability.

In short, sustainable packaging solutions are the only way forward for the future of packaging, and they are the trend. We look forward to seeing sustainable packaging solutions being developed and passed on as a result of technological innovation and environmental awareness. We all have a common social responsibility. There is only one earth. Let us work together to protect our common home.