Post on 13-Oct-2020
transcript
31 March 2008
Inventory of Sustainable Packaging Initiatives andProposed Approach to Develop Sustainable Packaging
Guidelines
Prepared for
Extended Producer Responsibility Task GroupCCME
Prepared by
Five Winds International
DISCLAIMERThis report was prepared by Five Winds International for the Canadian Council of Ministersof the Environment (CCME) This publication is a working paper only It containsinformation which has been prepared for but not approved by CCME CCME is notresponsible for the accuracy of the data contained in the publication and does not warrant ornecessarily share or affirm in any way any opinions expressed therein
PN 1405
_____________________________________________________________________
copy Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment 2008
Sustainable Packaging Inventory - CCME EPRTG
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(for double sided printing)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory - CCME EPRTG
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements 1
Executive Summary 1
Mandate of the CCME EPRTG 1Findings 1
Inventory 1Definition 2Guidelines 2Additional Ideas 3
Organization of the Report 3
1 Context for Sustainable Packaging 4
2 Methodology 6
3 Inventory of Sustainable Packaging Initiatives 7
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Definition amp Design Guidelines 7b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE
TMTool 9
c) WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design 11d) Wal-Mart Packaging Criteria and Scorecard 14e) SCJ Greenlist
TMPackaging Criteria 16
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design amp Selection Criteria DfE tool 19g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste 20h) BASF Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool 22i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice 25j) Incpen Packaging WatchDog 26k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool (PIQETcopy) 28l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool ndash EPEAT 31m) Climate Counts Scorecard 33Summary of Findings 34
4 Potential Next Steps 39
Working Definitions 40Guidelines 42Other Ideas for CCME 43
Appendix 1 MERGE metrics and Applicable stages of typical product lifecycle 47
Appendix 2 SCJ GreenlistTM
Packaging Criteria for Specific Materials 48
Appendix 3 Perspective of corporate users of SCJrsquos Greenlist 50
Appendix 4 Further Requirements of the European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and PackagingWaste 51
Appendix 5 Results of BASF Eco-Efficiency Analysis 53
Appendix 6 Social Indicators included in BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool 55
Appendix 7 PIQET Example Results 57
Appendix 8 EPEAT Product Rankings amp Search Feature 61
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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(for double sided printing)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge the packaging and sustainability professionals who shared theirinsights and experiences on several of the initiatives profiled in this work
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mandate of the CCME EPRTG
The broad mandate of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environmentrsquos Extended ProducerResponsibility Task Group is to provide guidance on the development and implementation of EPRand product stewardship programs and to consider packaging as a first priority As a first stepEPRTG intends to propose a definition for sustainable packaging and to develop (andor adopt)guidelines that promote the design and use of more sustainable packaging To initiate this work theEPRTG contracted Five Winds International to research and inventory existing definitions andguidelines propose a definition for sustainable packaging and an approach for developing sustainablepackaging guidelines
This report presents the findings of this effort The inventory proposed definition and approach fordeveloping guidelines were reviewed by EPRTG and discussed at a stakeholder focus groupconvened by CCME in February 2008 Feedback obtained through that workshop and via an onlinestakeholder forum has been incorporated into this report
Simultaneously CCME has commissioned another study to examine global policy approaches fortheir relevancy to the Canadian context and is working to develop a Canada-wide Strategy onSustainable Packaging Thus the deliverables from this report are to be considered alongsidedeliverables from several other projects that CCME is undertaking to inform the Strategy
Findings
The following is a summary of research findings on the three deliverables for this project theinventory definition and guidelines
INVENTORY
Key finding Several high quality guidelines and tools already exist that CCME can adopt supportor collaborate on in its efforts to promote more sustainable packaging in Canada The research andinventory of existing guidelines and tools for sustainable packaging show there is a significantamount of work underway in both industry and government Government and non-governmentalorganisations have published guidelines that are available for free or for a nominal fee and are oftenbased on broad consultation with industry and other stakeholders Companies have developed internaltools that are linked to metrics that can be used to make packaging decisions and in some cases reportpublicly In many cases development of the guidelines and tools took a number of years and requiredsignificant investment to build and put in to use While each approach has its own particular strengthsand weakness relative to CCMEs needs all attempt to raise awareness of the environmental impact ofpackaging in order to stimulate improvement
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DEFINITION
Key finding CCME should propose the definition for sustainable packaging as articulated by theSustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) to its stakeholders for review debate and consideration
Originally the definition for sustainable packaging as promoted by the Australian-based SustainablePackaging Alliance (SPA) was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to an important benefit of the SPCdefinition because it has gained profile among industry in the United States and Canada adoption ofthe SPC definition might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples ofthis increasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Finally the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition
The SPC definition also defines sustainable packaging in terms of how it performs across the lifecycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging It was not chosen originallyonly because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourced manufactured transportedand recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use of renewable or recycled sourcematerialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimise for every product or packagingsystem However these two elements do not take away from the fact that the SPC definition istechnically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definition to its stakeholders it maychoose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken as directional as opposed toprescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo provides examples illustrating thispoint)
GUIDELINES
Key finding CCME should not write new guidelines for sustainable packaging CCME shouldconsider endorsing the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created by the SustainablePackaging Coalition The inventory profiles a number of excellent guidelines on sustainablepackaging and CCME would likely need to expend considerable resources to improve upon theexisting ones Consequently writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainablepackaging in Canada as it would duplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (toallow for proper consultation) and would thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest inpackaging let alone lead it In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCMEendorse an existing set of guidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideasand actions to support its mandate In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packagingcreated by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition have a North American focus and are well organised
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
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participants indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned thatGuidelines on their own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industryStakeholders indicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives anddisincentives to ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packagingdesigners brand owners retailers etc
ADDITIONAL IDEAS
To contribute to real progress on sustainable packaging in Canada CCME could add value byinvesting in educating consumers supporting companies and industries that already have tools andtargets for sustainable packaging and engaging companies that have not yet begun ndash all by pointingthese players to existing guidelines and tools that are ready to use With this approach CCME couldquickly put itself in a facilitator role by building on what exists and collaborating with governmentsand organisations that have already raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending timereinventing the wheel Of course all of this must be evaluated in context of the Canada-wideStrategy for Sustainable Packaging being developed by CCME
The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from the inventoryillustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their own sustainablepackaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt and apply theseideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence of any CCMEstrategy or action plan for packaging Only after such a strategy is established will it be valuable toevaluate each of these ideas
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada
ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT
The report is organized in the following sections
1 Context ndash A short discussion on what is happening in the sustainable packaging arena2 Methodology ndash Presents the methodology for the research3 Inventory ndash Short profiles of existing government industry and non-governmental
organization initiatives organized in table format according to key criteria These initiativescover a range of approaches including design guidelines regulations life cycle analyticaltools to support decision-making scorecards and procurement tools (not related topackaging) A summary of findings from the inventory including trends gaps and strengthsis also presented here
4 Proposed Next Steps ndash Based on the research a working definition for consideration byCCME is proposed an existing set of guidelines are proposed and a list of ideas arepresented for CCME to promote sustainable packaging in Canada by building on existingwork and filling identified gaps
5 Appendices ndash Supporting materials for initiatives profiled in the Inventory
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1 CONTEXT FOR SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
Rationale for Acting QuicklyOver the last two years there hasbeen a renewed and intensifiedmarket interest in products withsuperior environmental and socialperformance Consumer andmedia consciousness ofsustainability issues ndash such asclimate change toxic substancesethical sourcing and consumptionndash is at an all time high This haslead retailers like Wal-MartTesco and Home Depot to pushtheir supply chains to providemore sustainable products andpackaging In Canada thePackaging Association of Canadahas begun to develop a packagingrating tool and is also launching a curriculum on sustainable packaging in collaboration with the USSustainable Packaging Coalition Governments who have maintained their interest over the years inreducing packaging waste going to landfill are intensifying their focus on products and packagingand are increasingly using producer responsibility as a policy lever to promote more sustainableforms of production and consumption Over the last two decades a small group of leadingorganizations (eg some brand owners and NGOs) worked to promote more sustainable packagingToday there is a convergence of the interests of three key actors - government retailers and civilsociety (Figure 1) This convergence is creating a significant window of opportunity to makemeaningful measurable and long lasting changes that will improve the sustainability performance ofpackaging systems
Rationale for Harmony amp International Collaboration While interest in sustainable packaging ishigh creating packaging that fulfills technical and social performance criteria with a smallerenvironmental footprint is still challenging These challenges include selecting appropriatematerials maintaining product protection understanding complex supply chains predicting end oflife scenarios ensuring health and safety (especially for food products) and comparing the impacts ofalternate systems Consequently there is no ldquoone size fits allrdquo approach to sustainable packaging andto make the best choices packaging designers and engineers need to consider a range of factorsFigure 2 illustrates some of these
Social FactorsSupply chainLaborfoodproduction
Health and safety
Life cycle impactsndash GWP ODP
Primary energyWaste
hellip
Technical AssessmentFit for purpose
functionality- Safety
- Transport- Storage Cold Chain
hellip
Risk AssessmentEco-toxicity
Human HealthMaterial attributes
- sustainability
Life Cycle Costsmaterials capital
equipment product loss
recyclinginfrastructure
Figure 2 Some key information needs for evaluating the sustainability attributes of packaging (GWP globalwarming potential ODP ozone depleting potential)
Figure 1 Converging interests in sustainable packaging
SocietalConsciousness
Growing media andconsumer focus on
sustainable products
Retailers
Reduce suppply chaincosts and footprint and
developing greenproducts
Government
Promote sustainableproduction andconsumption ndash
resource conservationreduce waste to landfill
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The diversity of factors noted in Figure 2 means that defining sustainable packaging from productionthrough service life to end-of-life can be challenging Another complicating factor is theliberalization of trade and the resulting complexity of supply chains This can pose a challenge topackaging designers and engineers consumers and increasingly retailers who want to get a clearpicture of the upstream sustainability performance attributes of packaging materials Consequentlythe development of harmonized approaches to encouraging more sustainable packaging choices isincreasingly important Rather than pursuing individual approaches that may confuse consumers andother stakeholders it is important for industry governments and other interested stakeholders to worktogether toward sustainable solutions
Fortunately information to support packaging designersrsquo and engineersrsquo understanding of thesustainability attributes of packaging is growing daily Life cycle datasets and software are becomingmore sophisticated end-of life scenarios and waste management impacts are becoming somewhateasier to model materials suppliers are providing better data and chemical risks are becoming betterunderstood
Rationale for Life Cycle View of Packaging Enough is now known about sustainability to call intoquestion the notion of universal criteria that are applicable to all packaging (eg renewable percentrecycled content) and instead call for the selection of the best packaging design and material for theproduct system in question A current barrier to sustainability is packaging guidelines that pickwinner and loser materials (eg plastic resin X is better than paperboard product Y) This does notpromote more sustainable packaging as materials clearly have different sustainability benefits andchallenges that depend on the product system and life cycle phase in discussion (eg will thepackaging end up in conditions where it can biodegrade or be collected for reuse) Material choiceswill of course still be made but they should be made in the context of what makes sense for thespecific product system (see lsquowhy is a product system perspective importantrsquo insert below)Therefore it is difficult to make direct material comparisons in absence of understanding the productsystem context and sustainable packaging definitions and guidelines should avoid falling into thispitfall
It is important to present characteristics of individual materials and raise awareness about all lifecycle stages so as not to promote material comparisons on a simple kilogram-by-kilogram basis It isalso important to provide guidance for all value chain players (packaging designers materialsuppliers product manufacturers retailers consumers) on their potential roles and responsibilities forcontributing to more sustainable packaging Clearly an approach that takes a market oriented view(ie how to communicate design choices to customers and consumers) will also be an asset as changeis required among all value chain players
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Why is a lsquoproduct system perspectiversquo important What others have learnedhellip
Milk in Switzerland ndash The Swiss EMPA conducted a life cycle assessment of milk packaging systems comparing the environmentalperformance of plastic bags TetraPak containers and glass bottles The results showed that ldquoit dependsrdquo It depends on the systemin which the packaging is used including how it is transported how far it travels whether it is collected for landfill or recycling
Noodles in US ndash Lee Scott Wal-Martrsquos CEO cited the Benton County Daily Recordrsquos story of how making smoother noodles (in aproduct called ldquoHamburger Helprdquo) means those noodles settle better This means less air is needed in the pouch that contains thenoodles which means a smaller box is required to transport and protect them Report from Wal-Mart Sustainability Summit 12October 2007 Greenbizcom
Packaging Bread ndash Looking only at the environmental footprint of packaging materials ndash for instance paper versus plastic forpackaging bread ndash does not tell the whole story or lead to the most sustainable solution One must consider the product system Forinstance some types of bread may get stale faster in paper than in plastic other breads may preserve better in paper If more food isthrown away in one packaging ldquosystemrdquo versus another (and food often has a much higher environmental footprint than itspackaging) this need be consider for each situation
Cat Food in Denmark ndash Plastic versus cans versus jarshellip In one example from the Danish EPA plastic pouches of cat food allowedmore tons of cat food to be packed in each delivery truck when compared to cans or jars A great way to reduce emissions fromtransportationhellip but what about refillability or recyclability Energy needed for manufacturing Storage or breakage These are someof the multiple issues that need be examined for each product system and thus make material-by-material comparisons ineffectiveDanish Environmental Protection Agency Publication No 546 2000
Packaging from Renewables ndash The Sustainable Packaging Coalition cited a recent life cycle assessment of several products madefrom both renewable and non-renewable resources (Uihlein et al 2007) which concludes there is no clear cut advantage forrenewable materials on environmental grounds In different geographies with different resource bases and different wastemanagement systems all materials will have advantages and disadvantages to be identified and managed There are impactsassociated with creating bio-based polymers from forestry and agricultural just as there are impacts from making plastics from fossilfuels
Five Winds International 6
2 METHODOLOGY
Five Winds International inventoried existing sustainable packaging initiatives via desktop researchand interviews with knowledgeable individuals in private industry NGOs research organisations andgovernments The purpose of the inventory was to identify guidelines standards and tools that aretested well designed well recognised or have other attributes to draw from (or adopt) in order toinform CCME in moving forward once it develops its strategy (underway)
Five Winds International proposed an initial set of packaging initiatives to examine in the inventorywhich were approved by the CCME To organise and present the inventory a set of relevant criteriawere established in collaboration with the CCME (see below) These criteria helped facilitate theassessment of each initiative ndash both overall and more specifically in terms of potential applicability inCanada and relevance to CCMErsquos mandate Also due to their potential relevance to the CCME ourresearch included two (non-packaging) purchasing tools for procurement professionals andconsumers
The purpose of the inventory of existing initiatives was not to evaluate the merits of each approachThe purpose was to examine these efforts in relation to CCMErsquos objectives and purpose which maybe quite separate and distinct from the objectives of the initiatives
CCME invited stakeholders to comment on initial findings and recommendations from the inventoryCCME invited stakeholders to a workshop in Ottawa on 1 February 2008 There were 15 participantswith 20 representing local government 20 from the environmental NGO community and 60from industry CCME also held an open web consultation inviting stakeholders to commentspecifically on the proposed definition proposed guidelines and the ldquoother ideasrdquo recommended in
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this study In total 15 stakeholders provided input via the web consultation Feedback from both theworkshop and web consultation has informed this final version of the report
Criteria used to assess each initiative Description
Type of approach Is the approach a scorecard design guidelines aregulation etc
Intended user Consumers packaging technologists etc
Voluntary vs mandatory approach
Scope of packaging system covered (life cyclestages)
Which stages of the packaging life cycle are and arenot included
Performance parameters measured Specific criteria and metrics
Gaps parameters missing
Measuring success Is there a target or goal
Perspectives of users and other stakeholders onstrengths and challenges of approach
For some not all initiatives it was appropriate tointerview users for their perspectives
Potential barriers to adoption in Canada
Does approach help provide design guidance ampguidance on characteristics of materials
Initial rating Is there potential value in adopting the initiativeadopting it with modifications considering just a fewelements or is it not recommended
3 INVENTORY OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING INITIATIVES
This section presents an inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives The initiatives profiledbelow include four main types packaging scorecards (eg Wal-Mart Scorecard SCJ Greenlist)design guidelines (SPC Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging WRAP Guide to EvolvingPackaging Design SCJ Greenlist JohnsonampJohnson Incpen Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice) regulations (eg European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste) and life cycledecision-making or analytical tools (MERGETM Tool BASFrsquos eco-efficiency tool SustainablePackaging Alliancersquos PIQET tool) or a combination thereof Two additional tools are inventoriedthat do not address packaging but are of interest in terms of their structure and application forinforming purchasing decisions (EPEAT and Climate Counts Scorecards) The type of approachbeing applied by each proponent is noted in the tables Note this inventory does not evaluate theindividual initiatives per se but assesses whether and how they may inform CCME in fulfilling itsobjectives
An analysis of findings from the inventory is presented at the end of this section
a) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash DEFINITION amp DESIGN
GUIDELINES
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The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) ndash a not-for-profit organization with over one hundredmember organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations ndash is a project ofGreenBlue1 The SPC is an industry working group whose mission is ldquoto advocate and communicatea positive robust environmental vision for packaging and to support innovative functional packagingmaterials and systems that promote economic and environmental health through supply chaincollaborationrdquo2 GreenBlue provides technical administrative and mission support to the Coalition
The SPC has developed a consensus-based definition of Sustainable Packaging and in December2006 published Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging3 that
Provides a basis for education of sustainability considerations as they relate to packaging andto help bring them into the mainstream of packaging development
Designed to be flexible and adaptable to the various needs of designers and the requirementsof a diverse industry
Includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability andenvironmental considerations into the packaging design process
Provides an overview of sustainability cradle-to-cradle design and the SPCrsquos definition ofsustainable packaging
Includes various design strategy sectionso Design sustainablyo Design for transporto Design with environmental best practiceo Design with fair labour and trade practiceso Design with renewable virgin materialso Design for reuseo Design for recyclingo Design for composting
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is4
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy
1 GreenBlue emerged out of projects at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) a private sustainable product andprocess design consultancy co-founded by American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart in1995 GreenBlue was founded in November 2002 under the premise that a non-profit platform will allow broader leveraging ofthese assets into a comprehensive open-source system of resources for the widespread adoption of cradle-to-cradle principlesoften in contexts unavailable to MBDC as a private-sector consultancy The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is one of sixprimary activities for Greenblue Mission Statement To inspire a transformation in the design of human industryhellipbased onprinciples found in the productive systems of naturehellipmaking commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force2 Sustainable Packaging Coalition website httpwwwsustainablepackagingorgabout_visionasp3 Design Guidelines for Sustainable PackaginghttpwwwpackagingdigestcomnewsiteInfoChannelinfo_sustainable_formphp
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a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
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Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
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b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
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getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 13
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 14
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 16
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
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e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
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f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
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f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
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wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory - CCME EPRTG
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(for double sided printing)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory - CCME EPRTG
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements 1
Executive Summary 1
Mandate of the CCME EPRTG 1Findings 1
Inventory 1Definition 2Guidelines 2Additional Ideas 3
Organization of the Report 3
1 Context for Sustainable Packaging 4
2 Methodology 6
3 Inventory of Sustainable Packaging Initiatives 7
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Definition amp Design Guidelines 7b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE
TMTool 9
c) WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design 11d) Wal-Mart Packaging Criteria and Scorecard 14e) SCJ Greenlist
TMPackaging Criteria 16
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design amp Selection Criteria DfE tool 19g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste 20h) BASF Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool 22i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice 25j) Incpen Packaging WatchDog 26k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool (PIQETcopy) 28l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool ndash EPEAT 31m) Climate Counts Scorecard 33Summary of Findings 34
4 Potential Next Steps 39
Working Definitions 40Guidelines 42Other Ideas for CCME 43
Appendix 1 MERGE metrics and Applicable stages of typical product lifecycle 47
Appendix 2 SCJ GreenlistTM
Packaging Criteria for Specific Materials 48
Appendix 3 Perspective of corporate users of SCJrsquos Greenlist 50
Appendix 4 Further Requirements of the European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and PackagingWaste 51
Appendix 5 Results of BASF Eco-Efficiency Analysis 53
Appendix 6 Social Indicators included in BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool 55
Appendix 7 PIQET Example Results 57
Appendix 8 EPEAT Product Rankings amp Search Feature 61
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International
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(for double sided printing)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge the packaging and sustainability professionals who shared theirinsights and experiences on several of the initiatives profiled in this work
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mandate of the CCME EPRTG
The broad mandate of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environmentrsquos Extended ProducerResponsibility Task Group is to provide guidance on the development and implementation of EPRand product stewardship programs and to consider packaging as a first priority As a first stepEPRTG intends to propose a definition for sustainable packaging and to develop (andor adopt)guidelines that promote the design and use of more sustainable packaging To initiate this work theEPRTG contracted Five Winds International to research and inventory existing definitions andguidelines propose a definition for sustainable packaging and an approach for developing sustainablepackaging guidelines
This report presents the findings of this effort The inventory proposed definition and approach fordeveloping guidelines were reviewed by EPRTG and discussed at a stakeholder focus groupconvened by CCME in February 2008 Feedback obtained through that workshop and via an onlinestakeholder forum has been incorporated into this report
Simultaneously CCME has commissioned another study to examine global policy approaches fortheir relevancy to the Canadian context and is working to develop a Canada-wide Strategy onSustainable Packaging Thus the deliverables from this report are to be considered alongsidedeliverables from several other projects that CCME is undertaking to inform the Strategy
Findings
The following is a summary of research findings on the three deliverables for this project theinventory definition and guidelines
INVENTORY
Key finding Several high quality guidelines and tools already exist that CCME can adopt supportor collaborate on in its efforts to promote more sustainable packaging in Canada The research andinventory of existing guidelines and tools for sustainable packaging show there is a significantamount of work underway in both industry and government Government and non-governmentalorganisations have published guidelines that are available for free or for a nominal fee and are oftenbased on broad consultation with industry and other stakeholders Companies have developed internaltools that are linked to metrics that can be used to make packaging decisions and in some cases reportpublicly In many cases development of the guidelines and tools took a number of years and requiredsignificant investment to build and put in to use While each approach has its own particular strengthsand weakness relative to CCMEs needs all attempt to raise awareness of the environmental impact ofpackaging in order to stimulate improvement
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Five Winds International 2
DEFINITION
Key finding CCME should propose the definition for sustainable packaging as articulated by theSustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) to its stakeholders for review debate and consideration
Originally the definition for sustainable packaging as promoted by the Australian-based SustainablePackaging Alliance (SPA) was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to an important benefit of the SPCdefinition because it has gained profile among industry in the United States and Canada adoption ofthe SPC definition might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples ofthis increasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Finally the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition
The SPC definition also defines sustainable packaging in terms of how it performs across the lifecycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging It was not chosen originallyonly because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourced manufactured transportedand recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use of renewable or recycled sourcematerialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimise for every product or packagingsystem However these two elements do not take away from the fact that the SPC definition istechnically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definition to its stakeholders it maychoose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken as directional as opposed toprescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo provides examples illustrating thispoint)
GUIDELINES
Key finding CCME should not write new guidelines for sustainable packaging CCME shouldconsider endorsing the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created by the SustainablePackaging Coalition The inventory profiles a number of excellent guidelines on sustainablepackaging and CCME would likely need to expend considerable resources to improve upon theexisting ones Consequently writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainablepackaging in Canada as it would duplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (toallow for proper consultation) and would thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest inpackaging let alone lead it In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCMEendorse an existing set of guidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideasand actions to support its mandate In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packagingcreated by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition have a North American focus and are well organised
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
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Five Winds International 3
participants indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned thatGuidelines on their own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industryStakeholders indicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives anddisincentives to ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packagingdesigners brand owners retailers etc
ADDITIONAL IDEAS
To contribute to real progress on sustainable packaging in Canada CCME could add value byinvesting in educating consumers supporting companies and industries that already have tools andtargets for sustainable packaging and engaging companies that have not yet begun ndash all by pointingthese players to existing guidelines and tools that are ready to use With this approach CCME couldquickly put itself in a facilitator role by building on what exists and collaborating with governmentsand organisations that have already raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending timereinventing the wheel Of course all of this must be evaluated in context of the Canada-wideStrategy for Sustainable Packaging being developed by CCME
The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from the inventoryillustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their own sustainablepackaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt and apply theseideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence of any CCMEstrategy or action plan for packaging Only after such a strategy is established will it be valuable toevaluate each of these ideas
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada
ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT
The report is organized in the following sections
1 Context ndash A short discussion on what is happening in the sustainable packaging arena2 Methodology ndash Presents the methodology for the research3 Inventory ndash Short profiles of existing government industry and non-governmental
organization initiatives organized in table format according to key criteria These initiativescover a range of approaches including design guidelines regulations life cycle analyticaltools to support decision-making scorecards and procurement tools (not related topackaging) A summary of findings from the inventory including trends gaps and strengthsis also presented here
4 Proposed Next Steps ndash Based on the research a working definition for consideration byCCME is proposed an existing set of guidelines are proposed and a list of ideas arepresented for CCME to promote sustainable packaging in Canada by building on existingwork and filling identified gaps
5 Appendices ndash Supporting materials for initiatives profiled in the Inventory
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Five Winds International 4
1 CONTEXT FOR SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
Rationale for Acting QuicklyOver the last two years there hasbeen a renewed and intensifiedmarket interest in products withsuperior environmental and socialperformance Consumer andmedia consciousness ofsustainability issues ndash such asclimate change toxic substancesethical sourcing and consumptionndash is at an all time high This haslead retailers like Wal-MartTesco and Home Depot to pushtheir supply chains to providemore sustainable products andpackaging In Canada thePackaging Association of Canadahas begun to develop a packagingrating tool and is also launching a curriculum on sustainable packaging in collaboration with the USSustainable Packaging Coalition Governments who have maintained their interest over the years inreducing packaging waste going to landfill are intensifying their focus on products and packagingand are increasingly using producer responsibility as a policy lever to promote more sustainableforms of production and consumption Over the last two decades a small group of leadingorganizations (eg some brand owners and NGOs) worked to promote more sustainable packagingToday there is a convergence of the interests of three key actors - government retailers and civilsociety (Figure 1) This convergence is creating a significant window of opportunity to makemeaningful measurable and long lasting changes that will improve the sustainability performance ofpackaging systems
Rationale for Harmony amp International Collaboration While interest in sustainable packaging ishigh creating packaging that fulfills technical and social performance criteria with a smallerenvironmental footprint is still challenging These challenges include selecting appropriatematerials maintaining product protection understanding complex supply chains predicting end oflife scenarios ensuring health and safety (especially for food products) and comparing the impacts ofalternate systems Consequently there is no ldquoone size fits allrdquo approach to sustainable packaging andto make the best choices packaging designers and engineers need to consider a range of factorsFigure 2 illustrates some of these
Social FactorsSupply chainLaborfoodproduction
Health and safety
Life cycle impactsndash GWP ODP
Primary energyWaste
hellip
Technical AssessmentFit for purpose
functionality- Safety
- Transport- Storage Cold Chain
hellip
Risk AssessmentEco-toxicity
Human HealthMaterial attributes
- sustainability
Life Cycle Costsmaterials capital
equipment product loss
recyclinginfrastructure
Figure 2 Some key information needs for evaluating the sustainability attributes of packaging (GWP globalwarming potential ODP ozone depleting potential)
Figure 1 Converging interests in sustainable packaging
SocietalConsciousness
Growing media andconsumer focus on
sustainable products
Retailers
Reduce suppply chaincosts and footprint and
developing greenproducts
Government
Promote sustainableproduction andconsumption ndash
resource conservationreduce waste to landfill
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Five Winds International 5
The diversity of factors noted in Figure 2 means that defining sustainable packaging from productionthrough service life to end-of-life can be challenging Another complicating factor is theliberalization of trade and the resulting complexity of supply chains This can pose a challenge topackaging designers and engineers consumers and increasingly retailers who want to get a clearpicture of the upstream sustainability performance attributes of packaging materials Consequentlythe development of harmonized approaches to encouraging more sustainable packaging choices isincreasingly important Rather than pursuing individual approaches that may confuse consumers andother stakeholders it is important for industry governments and other interested stakeholders to worktogether toward sustainable solutions
Fortunately information to support packaging designersrsquo and engineersrsquo understanding of thesustainability attributes of packaging is growing daily Life cycle datasets and software are becomingmore sophisticated end-of life scenarios and waste management impacts are becoming somewhateasier to model materials suppliers are providing better data and chemical risks are becoming betterunderstood
Rationale for Life Cycle View of Packaging Enough is now known about sustainability to call intoquestion the notion of universal criteria that are applicable to all packaging (eg renewable percentrecycled content) and instead call for the selection of the best packaging design and material for theproduct system in question A current barrier to sustainability is packaging guidelines that pickwinner and loser materials (eg plastic resin X is better than paperboard product Y) This does notpromote more sustainable packaging as materials clearly have different sustainability benefits andchallenges that depend on the product system and life cycle phase in discussion (eg will thepackaging end up in conditions where it can biodegrade or be collected for reuse) Material choiceswill of course still be made but they should be made in the context of what makes sense for thespecific product system (see lsquowhy is a product system perspective importantrsquo insert below)Therefore it is difficult to make direct material comparisons in absence of understanding the productsystem context and sustainable packaging definitions and guidelines should avoid falling into thispitfall
It is important to present characteristics of individual materials and raise awareness about all lifecycle stages so as not to promote material comparisons on a simple kilogram-by-kilogram basis It isalso important to provide guidance for all value chain players (packaging designers materialsuppliers product manufacturers retailers consumers) on their potential roles and responsibilities forcontributing to more sustainable packaging Clearly an approach that takes a market oriented view(ie how to communicate design choices to customers and consumers) will also be an asset as changeis required among all value chain players
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Why is a lsquoproduct system perspectiversquo important What others have learnedhellip
Milk in Switzerland ndash The Swiss EMPA conducted a life cycle assessment of milk packaging systems comparing the environmentalperformance of plastic bags TetraPak containers and glass bottles The results showed that ldquoit dependsrdquo It depends on the systemin which the packaging is used including how it is transported how far it travels whether it is collected for landfill or recycling
Noodles in US ndash Lee Scott Wal-Martrsquos CEO cited the Benton County Daily Recordrsquos story of how making smoother noodles (in aproduct called ldquoHamburger Helprdquo) means those noodles settle better This means less air is needed in the pouch that contains thenoodles which means a smaller box is required to transport and protect them Report from Wal-Mart Sustainability Summit 12October 2007 Greenbizcom
Packaging Bread ndash Looking only at the environmental footprint of packaging materials ndash for instance paper versus plastic forpackaging bread ndash does not tell the whole story or lead to the most sustainable solution One must consider the product system Forinstance some types of bread may get stale faster in paper than in plastic other breads may preserve better in paper If more food isthrown away in one packaging ldquosystemrdquo versus another (and food often has a much higher environmental footprint than itspackaging) this need be consider for each situation
Cat Food in Denmark ndash Plastic versus cans versus jarshellip In one example from the Danish EPA plastic pouches of cat food allowedmore tons of cat food to be packed in each delivery truck when compared to cans or jars A great way to reduce emissions fromtransportationhellip but what about refillability or recyclability Energy needed for manufacturing Storage or breakage These are someof the multiple issues that need be examined for each product system and thus make material-by-material comparisons ineffectiveDanish Environmental Protection Agency Publication No 546 2000
Packaging from Renewables ndash The Sustainable Packaging Coalition cited a recent life cycle assessment of several products madefrom both renewable and non-renewable resources (Uihlein et al 2007) which concludes there is no clear cut advantage forrenewable materials on environmental grounds In different geographies with different resource bases and different wastemanagement systems all materials will have advantages and disadvantages to be identified and managed There are impactsassociated with creating bio-based polymers from forestry and agricultural just as there are impacts from making plastics from fossilfuels
Five Winds International 6
2 METHODOLOGY
Five Winds International inventoried existing sustainable packaging initiatives via desktop researchand interviews with knowledgeable individuals in private industry NGOs research organisations andgovernments The purpose of the inventory was to identify guidelines standards and tools that aretested well designed well recognised or have other attributes to draw from (or adopt) in order toinform CCME in moving forward once it develops its strategy (underway)
Five Winds International proposed an initial set of packaging initiatives to examine in the inventorywhich were approved by the CCME To organise and present the inventory a set of relevant criteriawere established in collaboration with the CCME (see below) These criteria helped facilitate theassessment of each initiative ndash both overall and more specifically in terms of potential applicability inCanada and relevance to CCMErsquos mandate Also due to their potential relevance to the CCME ourresearch included two (non-packaging) purchasing tools for procurement professionals andconsumers
The purpose of the inventory of existing initiatives was not to evaluate the merits of each approachThe purpose was to examine these efforts in relation to CCMErsquos objectives and purpose which maybe quite separate and distinct from the objectives of the initiatives
CCME invited stakeholders to comment on initial findings and recommendations from the inventoryCCME invited stakeholders to a workshop in Ottawa on 1 February 2008 There were 15 participantswith 20 representing local government 20 from the environmental NGO community and 60from industry CCME also held an open web consultation inviting stakeholders to commentspecifically on the proposed definition proposed guidelines and the ldquoother ideasrdquo recommended in
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 7
this study In total 15 stakeholders provided input via the web consultation Feedback from both theworkshop and web consultation has informed this final version of the report
Criteria used to assess each initiative Description
Type of approach Is the approach a scorecard design guidelines aregulation etc
Intended user Consumers packaging technologists etc
Voluntary vs mandatory approach
Scope of packaging system covered (life cyclestages)
Which stages of the packaging life cycle are and arenot included
Performance parameters measured Specific criteria and metrics
Gaps parameters missing
Measuring success Is there a target or goal
Perspectives of users and other stakeholders onstrengths and challenges of approach
For some not all initiatives it was appropriate tointerview users for their perspectives
Potential barriers to adoption in Canada
Does approach help provide design guidance ampguidance on characteristics of materials
Initial rating Is there potential value in adopting the initiativeadopting it with modifications considering just a fewelements or is it not recommended
3 INVENTORY OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING INITIATIVES
This section presents an inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives The initiatives profiledbelow include four main types packaging scorecards (eg Wal-Mart Scorecard SCJ Greenlist)design guidelines (SPC Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging WRAP Guide to EvolvingPackaging Design SCJ Greenlist JohnsonampJohnson Incpen Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice) regulations (eg European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste) and life cycledecision-making or analytical tools (MERGETM Tool BASFrsquos eco-efficiency tool SustainablePackaging Alliancersquos PIQET tool) or a combination thereof Two additional tools are inventoriedthat do not address packaging but are of interest in terms of their structure and application forinforming purchasing decisions (EPEAT and Climate Counts Scorecards) The type of approachbeing applied by each proponent is noted in the tables Note this inventory does not evaluate theindividual initiatives per se but assesses whether and how they may inform CCME in fulfilling itsobjectives
An analysis of findings from the inventory is presented at the end of this section
a) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash DEFINITION amp DESIGN
GUIDELINES
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Five Winds International 8
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) ndash a not-for-profit organization with over one hundredmember organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations ndash is a project ofGreenBlue1 The SPC is an industry working group whose mission is ldquoto advocate and communicatea positive robust environmental vision for packaging and to support innovative functional packagingmaterials and systems that promote economic and environmental health through supply chaincollaborationrdquo2 GreenBlue provides technical administrative and mission support to the Coalition
The SPC has developed a consensus-based definition of Sustainable Packaging and in December2006 published Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging3 that
Provides a basis for education of sustainability considerations as they relate to packaging andto help bring them into the mainstream of packaging development
Designed to be flexible and adaptable to the various needs of designers and the requirementsof a diverse industry
Includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability andenvironmental considerations into the packaging design process
Provides an overview of sustainability cradle-to-cradle design and the SPCrsquos definition ofsustainable packaging
Includes various design strategy sectionso Design sustainablyo Design for transporto Design with environmental best practiceo Design with fair labour and trade practiceso Design with renewable virgin materialso Design for reuseo Design for recyclingo Design for composting
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is4
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy
1 GreenBlue emerged out of projects at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) a private sustainable product andprocess design consultancy co-founded by American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart in1995 GreenBlue was founded in November 2002 under the premise that a non-profit platform will allow broader leveraging ofthese assets into a comprehensive open-source system of resources for the widespread adoption of cradle-to-cradle principlesoften in contexts unavailable to MBDC as a private-sector consultancy The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is one of sixprimary activities for Greenblue Mission Statement To inspire a transformation in the design of human industryhellipbased onprinciples found in the productive systems of naturehellipmaking commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force2 Sustainable Packaging Coalition website httpwwwsustainablepackagingorgabout_visionasp3 Design Guidelines for Sustainable PackaginghttpwwwpackagingdigestcomnewsiteInfoChannelinfo_sustainable_formphp
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Five Winds International 9
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
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Five Winds International 10
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
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Five Winds International 11
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 12
getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 13
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 14
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 16
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
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Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
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e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
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f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
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f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
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wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory - CCME EPRTG
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgements 1
Executive Summary 1
Mandate of the CCME EPRTG 1Findings 1
Inventory 1Definition 2Guidelines 2Additional Ideas 3
Organization of the Report 3
1 Context for Sustainable Packaging 4
2 Methodology 6
3 Inventory of Sustainable Packaging Initiatives 7
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Definition amp Design Guidelines 7b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE
TMTool 9
c) WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design 11d) Wal-Mart Packaging Criteria and Scorecard 14e) SCJ Greenlist
TMPackaging Criteria 16
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design amp Selection Criteria DfE tool 19g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste 20h) BASF Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool 22i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice 25j) Incpen Packaging WatchDog 26k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool (PIQETcopy) 28l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool ndash EPEAT 31m) Climate Counts Scorecard 33Summary of Findings 34
4 Potential Next Steps 39
Working Definitions 40Guidelines 42Other Ideas for CCME 43
Appendix 1 MERGE metrics and Applicable stages of typical product lifecycle 47
Appendix 2 SCJ GreenlistTM
Packaging Criteria for Specific Materials 48
Appendix 3 Perspective of corporate users of SCJrsquos Greenlist 50
Appendix 4 Further Requirements of the European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and PackagingWaste 51
Appendix 5 Results of BASF Eco-Efficiency Analysis 53
Appendix 6 Social Indicators included in BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool 55
Appendix 7 PIQET Example Results 57
Appendix 8 EPEAT Product Rankings amp Search Feature 61
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International
THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK
(for double sided printing)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge the packaging and sustainability professionals who shared theirinsights and experiences on several of the initiatives profiled in this work
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mandate of the CCME EPRTG
The broad mandate of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environmentrsquos Extended ProducerResponsibility Task Group is to provide guidance on the development and implementation of EPRand product stewardship programs and to consider packaging as a first priority As a first stepEPRTG intends to propose a definition for sustainable packaging and to develop (andor adopt)guidelines that promote the design and use of more sustainable packaging To initiate this work theEPRTG contracted Five Winds International to research and inventory existing definitions andguidelines propose a definition for sustainable packaging and an approach for developing sustainablepackaging guidelines
This report presents the findings of this effort The inventory proposed definition and approach fordeveloping guidelines were reviewed by EPRTG and discussed at a stakeholder focus groupconvened by CCME in February 2008 Feedback obtained through that workshop and via an onlinestakeholder forum has been incorporated into this report
Simultaneously CCME has commissioned another study to examine global policy approaches fortheir relevancy to the Canadian context and is working to develop a Canada-wide Strategy onSustainable Packaging Thus the deliverables from this report are to be considered alongsidedeliverables from several other projects that CCME is undertaking to inform the Strategy
Findings
The following is a summary of research findings on the three deliverables for this project theinventory definition and guidelines
INVENTORY
Key finding Several high quality guidelines and tools already exist that CCME can adopt supportor collaborate on in its efforts to promote more sustainable packaging in Canada The research andinventory of existing guidelines and tools for sustainable packaging show there is a significantamount of work underway in both industry and government Government and non-governmentalorganisations have published guidelines that are available for free or for a nominal fee and are oftenbased on broad consultation with industry and other stakeholders Companies have developed internaltools that are linked to metrics that can be used to make packaging decisions and in some cases reportpublicly In many cases development of the guidelines and tools took a number of years and requiredsignificant investment to build and put in to use While each approach has its own particular strengthsand weakness relative to CCMEs needs all attempt to raise awareness of the environmental impact ofpackaging in order to stimulate improvement
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 2
DEFINITION
Key finding CCME should propose the definition for sustainable packaging as articulated by theSustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) to its stakeholders for review debate and consideration
Originally the definition for sustainable packaging as promoted by the Australian-based SustainablePackaging Alliance (SPA) was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to an important benefit of the SPCdefinition because it has gained profile among industry in the United States and Canada adoption ofthe SPC definition might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples ofthis increasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Finally the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition
The SPC definition also defines sustainable packaging in terms of how it performs across the lifecycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging It was not chosen originallyonly because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourced manufactured transportedand recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use of renewable or recycled sourcematerialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimise for every product or packagingsystem However these two elements do not take away from the fact that the SPC definition istechnically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definition to its stakeholders it maychoose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken as directional as opposed toprescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo provides examples illustrating thispoint)
GUIDELINES
Key finding CCME should not write new guidelines for sustainable packaging CCME shouldconsider endorsing the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created by the SustainablePackaging Coalition The inventory profiles a number of excellent guidelines on sustainablepackaging and CCME would likely need to expend considerable resources to improve upon theexisting ones Consequently writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainablepackaging in Canada as it would duplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (toallow for proper consultation) and would thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest inpackaging let alone lead it In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCMEendorse an existing set of guidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideasand actions to support its mandate In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packagingcreated by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition have a North American focus and are well organised
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 3
participants indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned thatGuidelines on their own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industryStakeholders indicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives anddisincentives to ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packagingdesigners brand owners retailers etc
ADDITIONAL IDEAS
To contribute to real progress on sustainable packaging in Canada CCME could add value byinvesting in educating consumers supporting companies and industries that already have tools andtargets for sustainable packaging and engaging companies that have not yet begun ndash all by pointingthese players to existing guidelines and tools that are ready to use With this approach CCME couldquickly put itself in a facilitator role by building on what exists and collaborating with governmentsand organisations that have already raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending timereinventing the wheel Of course all of this must be evaluated in context of the Canada-wideStrategy for Sustainable Packaging being developed by CCME
The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from the inventoryillustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their own sustainablepackaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt and apply theseideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence of any CCMEstrategy or action plan for packaging Only after such a strategy is established will it be valuable toevaluate each of these ideas
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada
ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT
The report is organized in the following sections
1 Context ndash A short discussion on what is happening in the sustainable packaging arena2 Methodology ndash Presents the methodology for the research3 Inventory ndash Short profiles of existing government industry and non-governmental
organization initiatives organized in table format according to key criteria These initiativescover a range of approaches including design guidelines regulations life cycle analyticaltools to support decision-making scorecards and procurement tools (not related topackaging) A summary of findings from the inventory including trends gaps and strengthsis also presented here
4 Proposed Next Steps ndash Based on the research a working definition for consideration byCCME is proposed an existing set of guidelines are proposed and a list of ideas arepresented for CCME to promote sustainable packaging in Canada by building on existingwork and filling identified gaps
5 Appendices ndash Supporting materials for initiatives profiled in the Inventory
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Five Winds International 4
1 CONTEXT FOR SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
Rationale for Acting QuicklyOver the last two years there hasbeen a renewed and intensifiedmarket interest in products withsuperior environmental and socialperformance Consumer andmedia consciousness ofsustainability issues ndash such asclimate change toxic substancesethical sourcing and consumptionndash is at an all time high This haslead retailers like Wal-MartTesco and Home Depot to pushtheir supply chains to providemore sustainable products andpackaging In Canada thePackaging Association of Canadahas begun to develop a packagingrating tool and is also launching a curriculum on sustainable packaging in collaboration with the USSustainable Packaging Coalition Governments who have maintained their interest over the years inreducing packaging waste going to landfill are intensifying their focus on products and packagingand are increasingly using producer responsibility as a policy lever to promote more sustainableforms of production and consumption Over the last two decades a small group of leadingorganizations (eg some brand owners and NGOs) worked to promote more sustainable packagingToday there is a convergence of the interests of three key actors - government retailers and civilsociety (Figure 1) This convergence is creating a significant window of opportunity to makemeaningful measurable and long lasting changes that will improve the sustainability performance ofpackaging systems
Rationale for Harmony amp International Collaboration While interest in sustainable packaging ishigh creating packaging that fulfills technical and social performance criteria with a smallerenvironmental footprint is still challenging These challenges include selecting appropriatematerials maintaining product protection understanding complex supply chains predicting end oflife scenarios ensuring health and safety (especially for food products) and comparing the impacts ofalternate systems Consequently there is no ldquoone size fits allrdquo approach to sustainable packaging andto make the best choices packaging designers and engineers need to consider a range of factorsFigure 2 illustrates some of these
Social FactorsSupply chainLaborfoodproduction
Health and safety
Life cycle impactsndash GWP ODP
Primary energyWaste
hellip
Technical AssessmentFit for purpose
functionality- Safety
- Transport- Storage Cold Chain
hellip
Risk AssessmentEco-toxicity
Human HealthMaterial attributes
- sustainability
Life Cycle Costsmaterials capital
equipment product loss
recyclinginfrastructure
Figure 2 Some key information needs for evaluating the sustainability attributes of packaging (GWP globalwarming potential ODP ozone depleting potential)
Figure 1 Converging interests in sustainable packaging
SocietalConsciousness
Growing media andconsumer focus on
sustainable products
Retailers
Reduce suppply chaincosts and footprint and
developing greenproducts
Government
Promote sustainableproduction andconsumption ndash
resource conservationreduce waste to landfill
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 5
The diversity of factors noted in Figure 2 means that defining sustainable packaging from productionthrough service life to end-of-life can be challenging Another complicating factor is theliberalization of trade and the resulting complexity of supply chains This can pose a challenge topackaging designers and engineers consumers and increasingly retailers who want to get a clearpicture of the upstream sustainability performance attributes of packaging materials Consequentlythe development of harmonized approaches to encouraging more sustainable packaging choices isincreasingly important Rather than pursuing individual approaches that may confuse consumers andother stakeholders it is important for industry governments and other interested stakeholders to worktogether toward sustainable solutions
Fortunately information to support packaging designersrsquo and engineersrsquo understanding of thesustainability attributes of packaging is growing daily Life cycle datasets and software are becomingmore sophisticated end-of life scenarios and waste management impacts are becoming somewhateasier to model materials suppliers are providing better data and chemical risks are becoming betterunderstood
Rationale for Life Cycle View of Packaging Enough is now known about sustainability to call intoquestion the notion of universal criteria that are applicable to all packaging (eg renewable percentrecycled content) and instead call for the selection of the best packaging design and material for theproduct system in question A current barrier to sustainability is packaging guidelines that pickwinner and loser materials (eg plastic resin X is better than paperboard product Y) This does notpromote more sustainable packaging as materials clearly have different sustainability benefits andchallenges that depend on the product system and life cycle phase in discussion (eg will thepackaging end up in conditions where it can biodegrade or be collected for reuse) Material choiceswill of course still be made but they should be made in the context of what makes sense for thespecific product system (see lsquowhy is a product system perspective importantrsquo insert below)Therefore it is difficult to make direct material comparisons in absence of understanding the productsystem context and sustainable packaging definitions and guidelines should avoid falling into thispitfall
It is important to present characteristics of individual materials and raise awareness about all lifecycle stages so as not to promote material comparisons on a simple kilogram-by-kilogram basis It isalso important to provide guidance for all value chain players (packaging designers materialsuppliers product manufacturers retailers consumers) on their potential roles and responsibilities forcontributing to more sustainable packaging Clearly an approach that takes a market oriented view(ie how to communicate design choices to customers and consumers) will also be an asset as changeis required among all value chain players
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Why is a lsquoproduct system perspectiversquo important What others have learnedhellip
Milk in Switzerland ndash The Swiss EMPA conducted a life cycle assessment of milk packaging systems comparing the environmentalperformance of plastic bags TetraPak containers and glass bottles The results showed that ldquoit dependsrdquo It depends on the systemin which the packaging is used including how it is transported how far it travels whether it is collected for landfill or recycling
Noodles in US ndash Lee Scott Wal-Martrsquos CEO cited the Benton County Daily Recordrsquos story of how making smoother noodles (in aproduct called ldquoHamburger Helprdquo) means those noodles settle better This means less air is needed in the pouch that contains thenoodles which means a smaller box is required to transport and protect them Report from Wal-Mart Sustainability Summit 12October 2007 Greenbizcom
Packaging Bread ndash Looking only at the environmental footprint of packaging materials ndash for instance paper versus plastic forpackaging bread ndash does not tell the whole story or lead to the most sustainable solution One must consider the product system Forinstance some types of bread may get stale faster in paper than in plastic other breads may preserve better in paper If more food isthrown away in one packaging ldquosystemrdquo versus another (and food often has a much higher environmental footprint than itspackaging) this need be consider for each situation
Cat Food in Denmark ndash Plastic versus cans versus jarshellip In one example from the Danish EPA plastic pouches of cat food allowedmore tons of cat food to be packed in each delivery truck when compared to cans or jars A great way to reduce emissions fromtransportationhellip but what about refillability or recyclability Energy needed for manufacturing Storage or breakage These are someof the multiple issues that need be examined for each product system and thus make material-by-material comparisons ineffectiveDanish Environmental Protection Agency Publication No 546 2000
Packaging from Renewables ndash The Sustainable Packaging Coalition cited a recent life cycle assessment of several products madefrom both renewable and non-renewable resources (Uihlein et al 2007) which concludes there is no clear cut advantage forrenewable materials on environmental grounds In different geographies with different resource bases and different wastemanagement systems all materials will have advantages and disadvantages to be identified and managed There are impactsassociated with creating bio-based polymers from forestry and agricultural just as there are impacts from making plastics from fossilfuels
Five Winds International 6
2 METHODOLOGY
Five Winds International inventoried existing sustainable packaging initiatives via desktop researchand interviews with knowledgeable individuals in private industry NGOs research organisations andgovernments The purpose of the inventory was to identify guidelines standards and tools that aretested well designed well recognised or have other attributes to draw from (or adopt) in order toinform CCME in moving forward once it develops its strategy (underway)
Five Winds International proposed an initial set of packaging initiatives to examine in the inventorywhich were approved by the CCME To organise and present the inventory a set of relevant criteriawere established in collaboration with the CCME (see below) These criteria helped facilitate theassessment of each initiative ndash both overall and more specifically in terms of potential applicability inCanada and relevance to CCMErsquos mandate Also due to their potential relevance to the CCME ourresearch included two (non-packaging) purchasing tools for procurement professionals andconsumers
The purpose of the inventory of existing initiatives was not to evaluate the merits of each approachThe purpose was to examine these efforts in relation to CCMErsquos objectives and purpose which maybe quite separate and distinct from the objectives of the initiatives
CCME invited stakeholders to comment on initial findings and recommendations from the inventoryCCME invited stakeholders to a workshop in Ottawa on 1 February 2008 There were 15 participantswith 20 representing local government 20 from the environmental NGO community and 60from industry CCME also held an open web consultation inviting stakeholders to commentspecifically on the proposed definition proposed guidelines and the ldquoother ideasrdquo recommended in
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 7
this study In total 15 stakeholders provided input via the web consultation Feedback from both theworkshop and web consultation has informed this final version of the report
Criteria used to assess each initiative Description
Type of approach Is the approach a scorecard design guidelines aregulation etc
Intended user Consumers packaging technologists etc
Voluntary vs mandatory approach
Scope of packaging system covered (life cyclestages)
Which stages of the packaging life cycle are and arenot included
Performance parameters measured Specific criteria and metrics
Gaps parameters missing
Measuring success Is there a target or goal
Perspectives of users and other stakeholders onstrengths and challenges of approach
For some not all initiatives it was appropriate tointerview users for their perspectives
Potential barriers to adoption in Canada
Does approach help provide design guidance ampguidance on characteristics of materials
Initial rating Is there potential value in adopting the initiativeadopting it with modifications considering just a fewelements or is it not recommended
3 INVENTORY OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING INITIATIVES
This section presents an inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives The initiatives profiledbelow include four main types packaging scorecards (eg Wal-Mart Scorecard SCJ Greenlist)design guidelines (SPC Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging WRAP Guide to EvolvingPackaging Design SCJ Greenlist JohnsonampJohnson Incpen Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice) regulations (eg European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste) and life cycledecision-making or analytical tools (MERGETM Tool BASFrsquos eco-efficiency tool SustainablePackaging Alliancersquos PIQET tool) or a combination thereof Two additional tools are inventoriedthat do not address packaging but are of interest in terms of their structure and application forinforming purchasing decisions (EPEAT and Climate Counts Scorecards) The type of approachbeing applied by each proponent is noted in the tables Note this inventory does not evaluate theindividual initiatives per se but assesses whether and how they may inform CCME in fulfilling itsobjectives
An analysis of findings from the inventory is presented at the end of this section
a) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash DEFINITION amp DESIGN
GUIDELINES
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Five Winds International 8
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) ndash a not-for-profit organization with over one hundredmember organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations ndash is a project ofGreenBlue1 The SPC is an industry working group whose mission is ldquoto advocate and communicatea positive robust environmental vision for packaging and to support innovative functional packagingmaterials and systems that promote economic and environmental health through supply chaincollaborationrdquo2 GreenBlue provides technical administrative and mission support to the Coalition
The SPC has developed a consensus-based definition of Sustainable Packaging and in December2006 published Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging3 that
Provides a basis for education of sustainability considerations as they relate to packaging andto help bring them into the mainstream of packaging development
Designed to be flexible and adaptable to the various needs of designers and the requirementsof a diverse industry
Includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability andenvironmental considerations into the packaging design process
Provides an overview of sustainability cradle-to-cradle design and the SPCrsquos definition ofsustainable packaging
Includes various design strategy sectionso Design sustainablyo Design for transporto Design with environmental best practiceo Design with fair labour and trade practiceso Design with renewable virgin materialso Design for reuseo Design for recyclingo Design for composting
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is4
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy
1 GreenBlue emerged out of projects at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) a private sustainable product andprocess design consultancy co-founded by American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart in1995 GreenBlue was founded in November 2002 under the premise that a non-profit platform will allow broader leveraging ofthese assets into a comprehensive open-source system of resources for the widespread adoption of cradle-to-cradle principlesoften in contexts unavailable to MBDC as a private-sector consultancy The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is one of sixprimary activities for Greenblue Mission Statement To inspire a transformation in the design of human industryhellipbased onprinciples found in the productive systems of naturehellipmaking commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force2 Sustainable Packaging Coalition website httpwwwsustainablepackagingorgabout_visionasp3 Design Guidelines for Sustainable PackaginghttpwwwpackagingdigestcomnewsiteInfoChannelinfo_sustainable_formphp
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Five Winds International 9
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
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Five Winds International 10
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 11
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 12
getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 13
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 14
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 16
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 18
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 19
f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
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f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
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Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International
THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK
(for double sided printing)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge the packaging and sustainability professionals who shared theirinsights and experiences on several of the initiatives profiled in this work
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mandate of the CCME EPRTG
The broad mandate of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environmentrsquos Extended ProducerResponsibility Task Group is to provide guidance on the development and implementation of EPRand product stewardship programs and to consider packaging as a first priority As a first stepEPRTG intends to propose a definition for sustainable packaging and to develop (andor adopt)guidelines that promote the design and use of more sustainable packaging To initiate this work theEPRTG contracted Five Winds International to research and inventory existing definitions andguidelines propose a definition for sustainable packaging and an approach for developing sustainablepackaging guidelines
This report presents the findings of this effort The inventory proposed definition and approach fordeveloping guidelines were reviewed by EPRTG and discussed at a stakeholder focus groupconvened by CCME in February 2008 Feedback obtained through that workshop and via an onlinestakeholder forum has been incorporated into this report
Simultaneously CCME has commissioned another study to examine global policy approaches fortheir relevancy to the Canadian context and is working to develop a Canada-wide Strategy onSustainable Packaging Thus the deliverables from this report are to be considered alongsidedeliverables from several other projects that CCME is undertaking to inform the Strategy
Findings
The following is a summary of research findings on the three deliverables for this project theinventory definition and guidelines
INVENTORY
Key finding Several high quality guidelines and tools already exist that CCME can adopt supportor collaborate on in its efforts to promote more sustainable packaging in Canada The research andinventory of existing guidelines and tools for sustainable packaging show there is a significantamount of work underway in both industry and government Government and non-governmentalorganisations have published guidelines that are available for free or for a nominal fee and are oftenbased on broad consultation with industry and other stakeholders Companies have developed internaltools that are linked to metrics that can be used to make packaging decisions and in some cases reportpublicly In many cases development of the guidelines and tools took a number of years and requiredsignificant investment to build and put in to use While each approach has its own particular strengthsand weakness relative to CCMEs needs all attempt to raise awareness of the environmental impact ofpackaging in order to stimulate improvement
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 2
DEFINITION
Key finding CCME should propose the definition for sustainable packaging as articulated by theSustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) to its stakeholders for review debate and consideration
Originally the definition for sustainable packaging as promoted by the Australian-based SustainablePackaging Alliance (SPA) was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to an important benefit of the SPCdefinition because it has gained profile among industry in the United States and Canada adoption ofthe SPC definition might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples ofthis increasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Finally the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition
The SPC definition also defines sustainable packaging in terms of how it performs across the lifecycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging It was not chosen originallyonly because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourced manufactured transportedand recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use of renewable or recycled sourcematerialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimise for every product or packagingsystem However these two elements do not take away from the fact that the SPC definition istechnically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definition to its stakeholders it maychoose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken as directional as opposed toprescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo provides examples illustrating thispoint)
GUIDELINES
Key finding CCME should not write new guidelines for sustainable packaging CCME shouldconsider endorsing the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created by the SustainablePackaging Coalition The inventory profiles a number of excellent guidelines on sustainablepackaging and CCME would likely need to expend considerable resources to improve upon theexisting ones Consequently writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainablepackaging in Canada as it would duplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (toallow for proper consultation) and would thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest inpackaging let alone lead it In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCMEendorse an existing set of guidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideasand actions to support its mandate In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packagingcreated by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition have a North American focus and are well organised
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 3
participants indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned thatGuidelines on their own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industryStakeholders indicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives anddisincentives to ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packagingdesigners brand owners retailers etc
ADDITIONAL IDEAS
To contribute to real progress on sustainable packaging in Canada CCME could add value byinvesting in educating consumers supporting companies and industries that already have tools andtargets for sustainable packaging and engaging companies that have not yet begun ndash all by pointingthese players to existing guidelines and tools that are ready to use With this approach CCME couldquickly put itself in a facilitator role by building on what exists and collaborating with governmentsand organisations that have already raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending timereinventing the wheel Of course all of this must be evaluated in context of the Canada-wideStrategy for Sustainable Packaging being developed by CCME
The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from the inventoryillustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their own sustainablepackaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt and apply theseideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence of any CCMEstrategy or action plan for packaging Only after such a strategy is established will it be valuable toevaluate each of these ideas
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada
ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT
The report is organized in the following sections
1 Context ndash A short discussion on what is happening in the sustainable packaging arena2 Methodology ndash Presents the methodology for the research3 Inventory ndash Short profiles of existing government industry and non-governmental
organization initiatives organized in table format according to key criteria These initiativescover a range of approaches including design guidelines regulations life cycle analyticaltools to support decision-making scorecards and procurement tools (not related topackaging) A summary of findings from the inventory including trends gaps and strengthsis also presented here
4 Proposed Next Steps ndash Based on the research a working definition for consideration byCCME is proposed an existing set of guidelines are proposed and a list of ideas arepresented for CCME to promote sustainable packaging in Canada by building on existingwork and filling identified gaps
5 Appendices ndash Supporting materials for initiatives profiled in the Inventory
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 4
1 CONTEXT FOR SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
Rationale for Acting QuicklyOver the last two years there hasbeen a renewed and intensifiedmarket interest in products withsuperior environmental and socialperformance Consumer andmedia consciousness ofsustainability issues ndash such asclimate change toxic substancesethical sourcing and consumptionndash is at an all time high This haslead retailers like Wal-MartTesco and Home Depot to pushtheir supply chains to providemore sustainable products andpackaging In Canada thePackaging Association of Canadahas begun to develop a packagingrating tool and is also launching a curriculum on sustainable packaging in collaboration with the USSustainable Packaging Coalition Governments who have maintained their interest over the years inreducing packaging waste going to landfill are intensifying their focus on products and packagingand are increasingly using producer responsibility as a policy lever to promote more sustainableforms of production and consumption Over the last two decades a small group of leadingorganizations (eg some brand owners and NGOs) worked to promote more sustainable packagingToday there is a convergence of the interests of three key actors - government retailers and civilsociety (Figure 1) This convergence is creating a significant window of opportunity to makemeaningful measurable and long lasting changes that will improve the sustainability performance ofpackaging systems
Rationale for Harmony amp International Collaboration While interest in sustainable packaging ishigh creating packaging that fulfills technical and social performance criteria with a smallerenvironmental footprint is still challenging These challenges include selecting appropriatematerials maintaining product protection understanding complex supply chains predicting end oflife scenarios ensuring health and safety (especially for food products) and comparing the impacts ofalternate systems Consequently there is no ldquoone size fits allrdquo approach to sustainable packaging andto make the best choices packaging designers and engineers need to consider a range of factorsFigure 2 illustrates some of these
Social FactorsSupply chainLaborfoodproduction
Health and safety
Life cycle impactsndash GWP ODP
Primary energyWaste
hellip
Technical AssessmentFit for purpose
functionality- Safety
- Transport- Storage Cold Chain
hellip
Risk AssessmentEco-toxicity
Human HealthMaterial attributes
- sustainability
Life Cycle Costsmaterials capital
equipment product loss
recyclinginfrastructure
Figure 2 Some key information needs for evaluating the sustainability attributes of packaging (GWP globalwarming potential ODP ozone depleting potential)
Figure 1 Converging interests in sustainable packaging
SocietalConsciousness
Growing media andconsumer focus on
sustainable products
Retailers
Reduce suppply chaincosts and footprint and
developing greenproducts
Government
Promote sustainableproduction andconsumption ndash
resource conservationreduce waste to landfill
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 5
The diversity of factors noted in Figure 2 means that defining sustainable packaging from productionthrough service life to end-of-life can be challenging Another complicating factor is theliberalization of trade and the resulting complexity of supply chains This can pose a challenge topackaging designers and engineers consumers and increasingly retailers who want to get a clearpicture of the upstream sustainability performance attributes of packaging materials Consequentlythe development of harmonized approaches to encouraging more sustainable packaging choices isincreasingly important Rather than pursuing individual approaches that may confuse consumers andother stakeholders it is important for industry governments and other interested stakeholders to worktogether toward sustainable solutions
Fortunately information to support packaging designersrsquo and engineersrsquo understanding of thesustainability attributes of packaging is growing daily Life cycle datasets and software are becomingmore sophisticated end-of life scenarios and waste management impacts are becoming somewhateasier to model materials suppliers are providing better data and chemical risks are becoming betterunderstood
Rationale for Life Cycle View of Packaging Enough is now known about sustainability to call intoquestion the notion of universal criteria that are applicable to all packaging (eg renewable percentrecycled content) and instead call for the selection of the best packaging design and material for theproduct system in question A current barrier to sustainability is packaging guidelines that pickwinner and loser materials (eg plastic resin X is better than paperboard product Y) This does notpromote more sustainable packaging as materials clearly have different sustainability benefits andchallenges that depend on the product system and life cycle phase in discussion (eg will thepackaging end up in conditions where it can biodegrade or be collected for reuse) Material choiceswill of course still be made but they should be made in the context of what makes sense for thespecific product system (see lsquowhy is a product system perspective importantrsquo insert below)Therefore it is difficult to make direct material comparisons in absence of understanding the productsystem context and sustainable packaging definitions and guidelines should avoid falling into thispitfall
It is important to present characteristics of individual materials and raise awareness about all lifecycle stages so as not to promote material comparisons on a simple kilogram-by-kilogram basis It isalso important to provide guidance for all value chain players (packaging designers materialsuppliers product manufacturers retailers consumers) on their potential roles and responsibilities forcontributing to more sustainable packaging Clearly an approach that takes a market oriented view(ie how to communicate design choices to customers and consumers) will also be an asset as changeis required among all value chain players
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Why is a lsquoproduct system perspectiversquo important What others have learnedhellip
Milk in Switzerland ndash The Swiss EMPA conducted a life cycle assessment of milk packaging systems comparing the environmentalperformance of plastic bags TetraPak containers and glass bottles The results showed that ldquoit dependsrdquo It depends on the systemin which the packaging is used including how it is transported how far it travels whether it is collected for landfill or recycling
Noodles in US ndash Lee Scott Wal-Martrsquos CEO cited the Benton County Daily Recordrsquos story of how making smoother noodles (in aproduct called ldquoHamburger Helprdquo) means those noodles settle better This means less air is needed in the pouch that contains thenoodles which means a smaller box is required to transport and protect them Report from Wal-Mart Sustainability Summit 12October 2007 Greenbizcom
Packaging Bread ndash Looking only at the environmental footprint of packaging materials ndash for instance paper versus plastic forpackaging bread ndash does not tell the whole story or lead to the most sustainable solution One must consider the product system Forinstance some types of bread may get stale faster in paper than in plastic other breads may preserve better in paper If more food isthrown away in one packaging ldquosystemrdquo versus another (and food often has a much higher environmental footprint than itspackaging) this need be consider for each situation
Cat Food in Denmark ndash Plastic versus cans versus jarshellip In one example from the Danish EPA plastic pouches of cat food allowedmore tons of cat food to be packed in each delivery truck when compared to cans or jars A great way to reduce emissions fromtransportationhellip but what about refillability or recyclability Energy needed for manufacturing Storage or breakage These are someof the multiple issues that need be examined for each product system and thus make material-by-material comparisons ineffectiveDanish Environmental Protection Agency Publication No 546 2000
Packaging from Renewables ndash The Sustainable Packaging Coalition cited a recent life cycle assessment of several products madefrom both renewable and non-renewable resources (Uihlein et al 2007) which concludes there is no clear cut advantage forrenewable materials on environmental grounds In different geographies with different resource bases and different wastemanagement systems all materials will have advantages and disadvantages to be identified and managed There are impactsassociated with creating bio-based polymers from forestry and agricultural just as there are impacts from making plastics from fossilfuels
Five Winds International 6
2 METHODOLOGY
Five Winds International inventoried existing sustainable packaging initiatives via desktop researchand interviews with knowledgeable individuals in private industry NGOs research organisations andgovernments The purpose of the inventory was to identify guidelines standards and tools that aretested well designed well recognised or have other attributes to draw from (or adopt) in order toinform CCME in moving forward once it develops its strategy (underway)
Five Winds International proposed an initial set of packaging initiatives to examine in the inventorywhich were approved by the CCME To organise and present the inventory a set of relevant criteriawere established in collaboration with the CCME (see below) These criteria helped facilitate theassessment of each initiative ndash both overall and more specifically in terms of potential applicability inCanada and relevance to CCMErsquos mandate Also due to their potential relevance to the CCME ourresearch included two (non-packaging) purchasing tools for procurement professionals andconsumers
The purpose of the inventory of existing initiatives was not to evaluate the merits of each approachThe purpose was to examine these efforts in relation to CCMErsquos objectives and purpose which maybe quite separate and distinct from the objectives of the initiatives
CCME invited stakeholders to comment on initial findings and recommendations from the inventoryCCME invited stakeholders to a workshop in Ottawa on 1 February 2008 There were 15 participantswith 20 representing local government 20 from the environmental NGO community and 60from industry CCME also held an open web consultation inviting stakeholders to commentspecifically on the proposed definition proposed guidelines and the ldquoother ideasrdquo recommended in
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 7
this study In total 15 stakeholders provided input via the web consultation Feedback from both theworkshop and web consultation has informed this final version of the report
Criteria used to assess each initiative Description
Type of approach Is the approach a scorecard design guidelines aregulation etc
Intended user Consumers packaging technologists etc
Voluntary vs mandatory approach
Scope of packaging system covered (life cyclestages)
Which stages of the packaging life cycle are and arenot included
Performance parameters measured Specific criteria and metrics
Gaps parameters missing
Measuring success Is there a target or goal
Perspectives of users and other stakeholders onstrengths and challenges of approach
For some not all initiatives it was appropriate tointerview users for their perspectives
Potential barriers to adoption in Canada
Does approach help provide design guidance ampguidance on characteristics of materials
Initial rating Is there potential value in adopting the initiativeadopting it with modifications considering just a fewelements or is it not recommended
3 INVENTORY OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING INITIATIVES
This section presents an inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives The initiatives profiledbelow include four main types packaging scorecards (eg Wal-Mart Scorecard SCJ Greenlist)design guidelines (SPC Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging WRAP Guide to EvolvingPackaging Design SCJ Greenlist JohnsonampJohnson Incpen Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice) regulations (eg European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste) and life cycledecision-making or analytical tools (MERGETM Tool BASFrsquos eco-efficiency tool SustainablePackaging Alliancersquos PIQET tool) or a combination thereof Two additional tools are inventoriedthat do not address packaging but are of interest in terms of their structure and application forinforming purchasing decisions (EPEAT and Climate Counts Scorecards) The type of approachbeing applied by each proponent is noted in the tables Note this inventory does not evaluate theindividual initiatives per se but assesses whether and how they may inform CCME in fulfilling itsobjectives
An analysis of findings from the inventory is presented at the end of this section
a) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash DEFINITION amp DESIGN
GUIDELINES
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 8
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) ndash a not-for-profit organization with over one hundredmember organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations ndash is a project ofGreenBlue1 The SPC is an industry working group whose mission is ldquoto advocate and communicatea positive robust environmental vision for packaging and to support innovative functional packagingmaterials and systems that promote economic and environmental health through supply chaincollaborationrdquo2 GreenBlue provides technical administrative and mission support to the Coalition
The SPC has developed a consensus-based definition of Sustainable Packaging and in December2006 published Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging3 that
Provides a basis for education of sustainability considerations as they relate to packaging andto help bring them into the mainstream of packaging development
Designed to be flexible and adaptable to the various needs of designers and the requirementsof a diverse industry
Includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability andenvironmental considerations into the packaging design process
Provides an overview of sustainability cradle-to-cradle design and the SPCrsquos definition ofsustainable packaging
Includes various design strategy sectionso Design sustainablyo Design for transporto Design with environmental best practiceo Design with fair labour and trade practiceso Design with renewable virgin materialso Design for reuseo Design for recyclingo Design for composting
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is4
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy
1 GreenBlue emerged out of projects at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) a private sustainable product andprocess design consultancy co-founded by American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart in1995 GreenBlue was founded in November 2002 under the premise that a non-profit platform will allow broader leveraging ofthese assets into a comprehensive open-source system of resources for the widespread adoption of cradle-to-cradle principlesoften in contexts unavailable to MBDC as a private-sector consultancy The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is one of sixprimary activities for Greenblue Mission Statement To inspire a transformation in the design of human industryhellipbased onprinciples found in the productive systems of naturehellipmaking commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force2 Sustainable Packaging Coalition website httpwwwsustainablepackagingorgabout_visionasp3 Design Guidelines for Sustainable PackaginghttpwwwpackagingdigestcomnewsiteInfoChannelinfo_sustainable_formphp
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Five Winds International 9
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
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Five Winds International 10
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
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Five Winds International 11
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 12
getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 13
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 14
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 16
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 18
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 19
f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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Five Winds International 1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to acknowledge the packaging and sustainability professionals who shared theirinsights and experiences on several of the initiatives profiled in this work
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mandate of the CCME EPRTG
The broad mandate of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environmentrsquos Extended ProducerResponsibility Task Group is to provide guidance on the development and implementation of EPRand product stewardship programs and to consider packaging as a first priority As a first stepEPRTG intends to propose a definition for sustainable packaging and to develop (andor adopt)guidelines that promote the design and use of more sustainable packaging To initiate this work theEPRTG contracted Five Winds International to research and inventory existing definitions andguidelines propose a definition for sustainable packaging and an approach for developing sustainablepackaging guidelines
This report presents the findings of this effort The inventory proposed definition and approach fordeveloping guidelines were reviewed by EPRTG and discussed at a stakeholder focus groupconvened by CCME in February 2008 Feedback obtained through that workshop and via an onlinestakeholder forum has been incorporated into this report
Simultaneously CCME has commissioned another study to examine global policy approaches fortheir relevancy to the Canadian context and is working to develop a Canada-wide Strategy onSustainable Packaging Thus the deliverables from this report are to be considered alongsidedeliverables from several other projects that CCME is undertaking to inform the Strategy
Findings
The following is a summary of research findings on the three deliverables for this project theinventory definition and guidelines
INVENTORY
Key finding Several high quality guidelines and tools already exist that CCME can adopt supportor collaborate on in its efforts to promote more sustainable packaging in Canada The research andinventory of existing guidelines and tools for sustainable packaging show there is a significantamount of work underway in both industry and government Government and non-governmentalorganisations have published guidelines that are available for free or for a nominal fee and are oftenbased on broad consultation with industry and other stakeholders Companies have developed internaltools that are linked to metrics that can be used to make packaging decisions and in some cases reportpublicly In many cases development of the guidelines and tools took a number of years and requiredsignificant investment to build and put in to use While each approach has its own particular strengthsand weakness relative to CCMEs needs all attempt to raise awareness of the environmental impact ofpackaging in order to stimulate improvement
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 2
DEFINITION
Key finding CCME should propose the definition for sustainable packaging as articulated by theSustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) to its stakeholders for review debate and consideration
Originally the definition for sustainable packaging as promoted by the Australian-based SustainablePackaging Alliance (SPA) was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to an important benefit of the SPCdefinition because it has gained profile among industry in the United States and Canada adoption ofthe SPC definition might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples ofthis increasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Finally the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition
The SPC definition also defines sustainable packaging in terms of how it performs across the lifecycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging It was not chosen originallyonly because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourced manufactured transportedand recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use of renewable or recycled sourcematerialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimise for every product or packagingsystem However these two elements do not take away from the fact that the SPC definition istechnically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definition to its stakeholders it maychoose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken as directional as opposed toprescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo provides examples illustrating thispoint)
GUIDELINES
Key finding CCME should not write new guidelines for sustainable packaging CCME shouldconsider endorsing the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created by the SustainablePackaging Coalition The inventory profiles a number of excellent guidelines on sustainablepackaging and CCME would likely need to expend considerable resources to improve upon theexisting ones Consequently writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainablepackaging in Canada as it would duplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (toallow for proper consultation) and would thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest inpackaging let alone lead it In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCMEendorse an existing set of guidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideasand actions to support its mandate In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packagingcreated by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition have a North American focus and are well organised
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 3
participants indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned thatGuidelines on their own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industryStakeholders indicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives anddisincentives to ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packagingdesigners brand owners retailers etc
ADDITIONAL IDEAS
To contribute to real progress on sustainable packaging in Canada CCME could add value byinvesting in educating consumers supporting companies and industries that already have tools andtargets for sustainable packaging and engaging companies that have not yet begun ndash all by pointingthese players to existing guidelines and tools that are ready to use With this approach CCME couldquickly put itself in a facilitator role by building on what exists and collaborating with governmentsand organisations that have already raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending timereinventing the wheel Of course all of this must be evaluated in context of the Canada-wideStrategy for Sustainable Packaging being developed by CCME
The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from the inventoryillustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their own sustainablepackaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt and apply theseideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence of any CCMEstrategy or action plan for packaging Only after such a strategy is established will it be valuable toevaluate each of these ideas
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada
ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT
The report is organized in the following sections
1 Context ndash A short discussion on what is happening in the sustainable packaging arena2 Methodology ndash Presents the methodology for the research3 Inventory ndash Short profiles of existing government industry and non-governmental
organization initiatives organized in table format according to key criteria These initiativescover a range of approaches including design guidelines regulations life cycle analyticaltools to support decision-making scorecards and procurement tools (not related topackaging) A summary of findings from the inventory including trends gaps and strengthsis also presented here
4 Proposed Next Steps ndash Based on the research a working definition for consideration byCCME is proposed an existing set of guidelines are proposed and a list of ideas arepresented for CCME to promote sustainable packaging in Canada by building on existingwork and filling identified gaps
5 Appendices ndash Supporting materials for initiatives profiled in the Inventory
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 4
1 CONTEXT FOR SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
Rationale for Acting QuicklyOver the last two years there hasbeen a renewed and intensifiedmarket interest in products withsuperior environmental and socialperformance Consumer andmedia consciousness ofsustainability issues ndash such asclimate change toxic substancesethical sourcing and consumptionndash is at an all time high This haslead retailers like Wal-MartTesco and Home Depot to pushtheir supply chains to providemore sustainable products andpackaging In Canada thePackaging Association of Canadahas begun to develop a packagingrating tool and is also launching a curriculum on sustainable packaging in collaboration with the USSustainable Packaging Coalition Governments who have maintained their interest over the years inreducing packaging waste going to landfill are intensifying their focus on products and packagingand are increasingly using producer responsibility as a policy lever to promote more sustainableforms of production and consumption Over the last two decades a small group of leadingorganizations (eg some brand owners and NGOs) worked to promote more sustainable packagingToday there is a convergence of the interests of three key actors - government retailers and civilsociety (Figure 1) This convergence is creating a significant window of opportunity to makemeaningful measurable and long lasting changes that will improve the sustainability performance ofpackaging systems
Rationale for Harmony amp International Collaboration While interest in sustainable packaging ishigh creating packaging that fulfills technical and social performance criteria with a smallerenvironmental footprint is still challenging These challenges include selecting appropriatematerials maintaining product protection understanding complex supply chains predicting end oflife scenarios ensuring health and safety (especially for food products) and comparing the impacts ofalternate systems Consequently there is no ldquoone size fits allrdquo approach to sustainable packaging andto make the best choices packaging designers and engineers need to consider a range of factorsFigure 2 illustrates some of these
Social FactorsSupply chainLaborfoodproduction
Health and safety
Life cycle impactsndash GWP ODP
Primary energyWaste
hellip
Technical AssessmentFit for purpose
functionality- Safety
- Transport- Storage Cold Chain
hellip
Risk AssessmentEco-toxicity
Human HealthMaterial attributes
- sustainability
Life Cycle Costsmaterials capital
equipment product loss
recyclinginfrastructure
Figure 2 Some key information needs for evaluating the sustainability attributes of packaging (GWP globalwarming potential ODP ozone depleting potential)
Figure 1 Converging interests in sustainable packaging
SocietalConsciousness
Growing media andconsumer focus on
sustainable products
Retailers
Reduce suppply chaincosts and footprint and
developing greenproducts
Government
Promote sustainableproduction andconsumption ndash
resource conservationreduce waste to landfill
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Five Winds International 5
The diversity of factors noted in Figure 2 means that defining sustainable packaging from productionthrough service life to end-of-life can be challenging Another complicating factor is theliberalization of trade and the resulting complexity of supply chains This can pose a challenge topackaging designers and engineers consumers and increasingly retailers who want to get a clearpicture of the upstream sustainability performance attributes of packaging materials Consequentlythe development of harmonized approaches to encouraging more sustainable packaging choices isincreasingly important Rather than pursuing individual approaches that may confuse consumers andother stakeholders it is important for industry governments and other interested stakeholders to worktogether toward sustainable solutions
Fortunately information to support packaging designersrsquo and engineersrsquo understanding of thesustainability attributes of packaging is growing daily Life cycle datasets and software are becomingmore sophisticated end-of life scenarios and waste management impacts are becoming somewhateasier to model materials suppliers are providing better data and chemical risks are becoming betterunderstood
Rationale for Life Cycle View of Packaging Enough is now known about sustainability to call intoquestion the notion of universal criteria that are applicable to all packaging (eg renewable percentrecycled content) and instead call for the selection of the best packaging design and material for theproduct system in question A current barrier to sustainability is packaging guidelines that pickwinner and loser materials (eg plastic resin X is better than paperboard product Y) This does notpromote more sustainable packaging as materials clearly have different sustainability benefits andchallenges that depend on the product system and life cycle phase in discussion (eg will thepackaging end up in conditions where it can biodegrade or be collected for reuse) Material choiceswill of course still be made but they should be made in the context of what makes sense for thespecific product system (see lsquowhy is a product system perspective importantrsquo insert below)Therefore it is difficult to make direct material comparisons in absence of understanding the productsystem context and sustainable packaging definitions and guidelines should avoid falling into thispitfall
It is important to present characteristics of individual materials and raise awareness about all lifecycle stages so as not to promote material comparisons on a simple kilogram-by-kilogram basis It isalso important to provide guidance for all value chain players (packaging designers materialsuppliers product manufacturers retailers consumers) on their potential roles and responsibilities forcontributing to more sustainable packaging Clearly an approach that takes a market oriented view(ie how to communicate design choices to customers and consumers) will also be an asset as changeis required among all value chain players
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Why is a lsquoproduct system perspectiversquo important What others have learnedhellip
Milk in Switzerland ndash The Swiss EMPA conducted a life cycle assessment of milk packaging systems comparing the environmentalperformance of plastic bags TetraPak containers and glass bottles The results showed that ldquoit dependsrdquo It depends on the systemin which the packaging is used including how it is transported how far it travels whether it is collected for landfill or recycling
Noodles in US ndash Lee Scott Wal-Martrsquos CEO cited the Benton County Daily Recordrsquos story of how making smoother noodles (in aproduct called ldquoHamburger Helprdquo) means those noodles settle better This means less air is needed in the pouch that contains thenoodles which means a smaller box is required to transport and protect them Report from Wal-Mart Sustainability Summit 12October 2007 Greenbizcom
Packaging Bread ndash Looking only at the environmental footprint of packaging materials ndash for instance paper versus plastic forpackaging bread ndash does not tell the whole story or lead to the most sustainable solution One must consider the product system Forinstance some types of bread may get stale faster in paper than in plastic other breads may preserve better in paper If more food isthrown away in one packaging ldquosystemrdquo versus another (and food often has a much higher environmental footprint than itspackaging) this need be consider for each situation
Cat Food in Denmark ndash Plastic versus cans versus jarshellip In one example from the Danish EPA plastic pouches of cat food allowedmore tons of cat food to be packed in each delivery truck when compared to cans or jars A great way to reduce emissions fromtransportationhellip but what about refillability or recyclability Energy needed for manufacturing Storage or breakage These are someof the multiple issues that need be examined for each product system and thus make material-by-material comparisons ineffectiveDanish Environmental Protection Agency Publication No 546 2000
Packaging from Renewables ndash The Sustainable Packaging Coalition cited a recent life cycle assessment of several products madefrom both renewable and non-renewable resources (Uihlein et al 2007) which concludes there is no clear cut advantage forrenewable materials on environmental grounds In different geographies with different resource bases and different wastemanagement systems all materials will have advantages and disadvantages to be identified and managed There are impactsassociated with creating bio-based polymers from forestry and agricultural just as there are impacts from making plastics from fossilfuels
Five Winds International 6
2 METHODOLOGY
Five Winds International inventoried existing sustainable packaging initiatives via desktop researchand interviews with knowledgeable individuals in private industry NGOs research organisations andgovernments The purpose of the inventory was to identify guidelines standards and tools that aretested well designed well recognised or have other attributes to draw from (or adopt) in order toinform CCME in moving forward once it develops its strategy (underway)
Five Winds International proposed an initial set of packaging initiatives to examine in the inventorywhich were approved by the CCME To organise and present the inventory a set of relevant criteriawere established in collaboration with the CCME (see below) These criteria helped facilitate theassessment of each initiative ndash both overall and more specifically in terms of potential applicability inCanada and relevance to CCMErsquos mandate Also due to their potential relevance to the CCME ourresearch included two (non-packaging) purchasing tools for procurement professionals andconsumers
The purpose of the inventory of existing initiatives was not to evaluate the merits of each approachThe purpose was to examine these efforts in relation to CCMErsquos objectives and purpose which maybe quite separate and distinct from the objectives of the initiatives
CCME invited stakeholders to comment on initial findings and recommendations from the inventoryCCME invited stakeholders to a workshop in Ottawa on 1 February 2008 There were 15 participantswith 20 representing local government 20 from the environmental NGO community and 60from industry CCME also held an open web consultation inviting stakeholders to commentspecifically on the proposed definition proposed guidelines and the ldquoother ideasrdquo recommended in
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 7
this study In total 15 stakeholders provided input via the web consultation Feedback from both theworkshop and web consultation has informed this final version of the report
Criteria used to assess each initiative Description
Type of approach Is the approach a scorecard design guidelines aregulation etc
Intended user Consumers packaging technologists etc
Voluntary vs mandatory approach
Scope of packaging system covered (life cyclestages)
Which stages of the packaging life cycle are and arenot included
Performance parameters measured Specific criteria and metrics
Gaps parameters missing
Measuring success Is there a target or goal
Perspectives of users and other stakeholders onstrengths and challenges of approach
For some not all initiatives it was appropriate tointerview users for their perspectives
Potential barriers to adoption in Canada
Does approach help provide design guidance ampguidance on characteristics of materials
Initial rating Is there potential value in adopting the initiativeadopting it with modifications considering just a fewelements or is it not recommended
3 INVENTORY OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING INITIATIVES
This section presents an inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives The initiatives profiledbelow include four main types packaging scorecards (eg Wal-Mart Scorecard SCJ Greenlist)design guidelines (SPC Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging WRAP Guide to EvolvingPackaging Design SCJ Greenlist JohnsonampJohnson Incpen Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice) regulations (eg European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste) and life cycledecision-making or analytical tools (MERGETM Tool BASFrsquos eco-efficiency tool SustainablePackaging Alliancersquos PIQET tool) or a combination thereof Two additional tools are inventoriedthat do not address packaging but are of interest in terms of their structure and application forinforming purchasing decisions (EPEAT and Climate Counts Scorecards) The type of approachbeing applied by each proponent is noted in the tables Note this inventory does not evaluate theindividual initiatives per se but assesses whether and how they may inform CCME in fulfilling itsobjectives
An analysis of findings from the inventory is presented at the end of this section
a) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash DEFINITION amp DESIGN
GUIDELINES
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 8
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) ndash a not-for-profit organization with over one hundredmember organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations ndash is a project ofGreenBlue1 The SPC is an industry working group whose mission is ldquoto advocate and communicatea positive robust environmental vision for packaging and to support innovative functional packagingmaterials and systems that promote economic and environmental health through supply chaincollaborationrdquo2 GreenBlue provides technical administrative and mission support to the Coalition
The SPC has developed a consensus-based definition of Sustainable Packaging and in December2006 published Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging3 that
Provides a basis for education of sustainability considerations as they relate to packaging andto help bring them into the mainstream of packaging development
Designed to be flexible and adaptable to the various needs of designers and the requirementsof a diverse industry
Includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability andenvironmental considerations into the packaging design process
Provides an overview of sustainability cradle-to-cradle design and the SPCrsquos definition ofsustainable packaging
Includes various design strategy sectionso Design sustainablyo Design for transporto Design with environmental best practiceo Design with fair labour and trade practiceso Design with renewable virgin materialso Design for reuseo Design for recyclingo Design for composting
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is4
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy
1 GreenBlue emerged out of projects at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) a private sustainable product andprocess design consultancy co-founded by American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart in1995 GreenBlue was founded in November 2002 under the premise that a non-profit platform will allow broader leveraging ofthese assets into a comprehensive open-source system of resources for the widespread adoption of cradle-to-cradle principlesoften in contexts unavailable to MBDC as a private-sector consultancy The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is one of sixprimary activities for Greenblue Mission Statement To inspire a transformation in the design of human industryhellipbased onprinciples found in the productive systems of naturehellipmaking commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force2 Sustainable Packaging Coalition website httpwwwsustainablepackagingorgabout_visionasp3 Design Guidelines for Sustainable PackaginghttpwwwpackagingdigestcomnewsiteInfoChannelinfo_sustainable_formphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 9
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
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Five Winds International 10
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
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Five Winds International 11
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 12
getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 13
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 14
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 16
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 18
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 19
f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
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Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
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Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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DEFINITION
Key finding CCME should propose the definition for sustainable packaging as articulated by theSustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) to its stakeholders for review debate and consideration
Originally the definition for sustainable packaging as promoted by the Australian-based SustainablePackaging Alliance (SPA) was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to an important benefit of the SPCdefinition because it has gained profile among industry in the United States and Canada adoption ofthe SPC definition might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples ofthis increasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Finally the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition
The SPC definition also defines sustainable packaging in terms of how it performs across the lifecycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging It was not chosen originallyonly because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourced manufactured transportedand recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use of renewable or recycled sourcematerialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimise for every product or packagingsystem However these two elements do not take away from the fact that the SPC definition istechnically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definition to its stakeholders it maychoose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken as directional as opposed toprescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo provides examples illustrating thispoint)
GUIDELINES
Key finding CCME should not write new guidelines for sustainable packaging CCME shouldconsider endorsing the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created by the SustainablePackaging Coalition The inventory profiles a number of excellent guidelines on sustainablepackaging and CCME would likely need to expend considerable resources to improve upon theexisting ones Consequently writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainablepackaging in Canada as it would duplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (toallow for proper consultation) and would thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest inpackaging let alone lead it In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCMEendorse an existing set of guidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideasand actions to support its mandate In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packagingcreated by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition have a North American focus and are well organised
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
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Five Winds International 3
participants indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned thatGuidelines on their own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industryStakeholders indicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives anddisincentives to ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packagingdesigners brand owners retailers etc
ADDITIONAL IDEAS
To contribute to real progress on sustainable packaging in Canada CCME could add value byinvesting in educating consumers supporting companies and industries that already have tools andtargets for sustainable packaging and engaging companies that have not yet begun ndash all by pointingthese players to existing guidelines and tools that are ready to use With this approach CCME couldquickly put itself in a facilitator role by building on what exists and collaborating with governmentsand organisations that have already raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending timereinventing the wheel Of course all of this must be evaluated in context of the Canada-wideStrategy for Sustainable Packaging being developed by CCME
The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from the inventoryillustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their own sustainablepackaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt and apply theseideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence of any CCMEstrategy or action plan for packaging Only after such a strategy is established will it be valuable toevaluate each of these ideas
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada
ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT
The report is organized in the following sections
1 Context ndash A short discussion on what is happening in the sustainable packaging arena2 Methodology ndash Presents the methodology for the research3 Inventory ndash Short profiles of existing government industry and non-governmental
organization initiatives organized in table format according to key criteria These initiativescover a range of approaches including design guidelines regulations life cycle analyticaltools to support decision-making scorecards and procurement tools (not related topackaging) A summary of findings from the inventory including trends gaps and strengthsis also presented here
4 Proposed Next Steps ndash Based on the research a working definition for consideration byCCME is proposed an existing set of guidelines are proposed and a list of ideas arepresented for CCME to promote sustainable packaging in Canada by building on existingwork and filling identified gaps
5 Appendices ndash Supporting materials for initiatives profiled in the Inventory
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1 CONTEXT FOR SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
Rationale for Acting QuicklyOver the last two years there hasbeen a renewed and intensifiedmarket interest in products withsuperior environmental and socialperformance Consumer andmedia consciousness ofsustainability issues ndash such asclimate change toxic substancesethical sourcing and consumptionndash is at an all time high This haslead retailers like Wal-MartTesco and Home Depot to pushtheir supply chains to providemore sustainable products andpackaging In Canada thePackaging Association of Canadahas begun to develop a packagingrating tool and is also launching a curriculum on sustainable packaging in collaboration with the USSustainable Packaging Coalition Governments who have maintained their interest over the years inreducing packaging waste going to landfill are intensifying their focus on products and packagingand are increasingly using producer responsibility as a policy lever to promote more sustainableforms of production and consumption Over the last two decades a small group of leadingorganizations (eg some brand owners and NGOs) worked to promote more sustainable packagingToday there is a convergence of the interests of three key actors - government retailers and civilsociety (Figure 1) This convergence is creating a significant window of opportunity to makemeaningful measurable and long lasting changes that will improve the sustainability performance ofpackaging systems
Rationale for Harmony amp International Collaboration While interest in sustainable packaging ishigh creating packaging that fulfills technical and social performance criteria with a smallerenvironmental footprint is still challenging These challenges include selecting appropriatematerials maintaining product protection understanding complex supply chains predicting end oflife scenarios ensuring health and safety (especially for food products) and comparing the impacts ofalternate systems Consequently there is no ldquoone size fits allrdquo approach to sustainable packaging andto make the best choices packaging designers and engineers need to consider a range of factorsFigure 2 illustrates some of these
Social FactorsSupply chainLaborfoodproduction
Health and safety
Life cycle impactsndash GWP ODP
Primary energyWaste
hellip
Technical AssessmentFit for purpose
functionality- Safety
- Transport- Storage Cold Chain
hellip
Risk AssessmentEco-toxicity
Human HealthMaterial attributes
- sustainability
Life Cycle Costsmaterials capital
equipment product loss
recyclinginfrastructure
Figure 2 Some key information needs for evaluating the sustainability attributes of packaging (GWP globalwarming potential ODP ozone depleting potential)
Figure 1 Converging interests in sustainable packaging
SocietalConsciousness
Growing media andconsumer focus on
sustainable products
Retailers
Reduce suppply chaincosts and footprint and
developing greenproducts
Government
Promote sustainableproduction andconsumption ndash
resource conservationreduce waste to landfill
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Five Winds International 5
The diversity of factors noted in Figure 2 means that defining sustainable packaging from productionthrough service life to end-of-life can be challenging Another complicating factor is theliberalization of trade and the resulting complexity of supply chains This can pose a challenge topackaging designers and engineers consumers and increasingly retailers who want to get a clearpicture of the upstream sustainability performance attributes of packaging materials Consequentlythe development of harmonized approaches to encouraging more sustainable packaging choices isincreasingly important Rather than pursuing individual approaches that may confuse consumers andother stakeholders it is important for industry governments and other interested stakeholders to worktogether toward sustainable solutions
Fortunately information to support packaging designersrsquo and engineersrsquo understanding of thesustainability attributes of packaging is growing daily Life cycle datasets and software are becomingmore sophisticated end-of life scenarios and waste management impacts are becoming somewhateasier to model materials suppliers are providing better data and chemical risks are becoming betterunderstood
Rationale for Life Cycle View of Packaging Enough is now known about sustainability to call intoquestion the notion of universal criteria that are applicable to all packaging (eg renewable percentrecycled content) and instead call for the selection of the best packaging design and material for theproduct system in question A current barrier to sustainability is packaging guidelines that pickwinner and loser materials (eg plastic resin X is better than paperboard product Y) This does notpromote more sustainable packaging as materials clearly have different sustainability benefits andchallenges that depend on the product system and life cycle phase in discussion (eg will thepackaging end up in conditions where it can biodegrade or be collected for reuse) Material choiceswill of course still be made but they should be made in the context of what makes sense for thespecific product system (see lsquowhy is a product system perspective importantrsquo insert below)Therefore it is difficult to make direct material comparisons in absence of understanding the productsystem context and sustainable packaging definitions and guidelines should avoid falling into thispitfall
It is important to present characteristics of individual materials and raise awareness about all lifecycle stages so as not to promote material comparisons on a simple kilogram-by-kilogram basis It isalso important to provide guidance for all value chain players (packaging designers materialsuppliers product manufacturers retailers consumers) on their potential roles and responsibilities forcontributing to more sustainable packaging Clearly an approach that takes a market oriented view(ie how to communicate design choices to customers and consumers) will also be an asset as changeis required among all value chain players
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Why is a lsquoproduct system perspectiversquo important What others have learnedhellip
Milk in Switzerland ndash The Swiss EMPA conducted a life cycle assessment of milk packaging systems comparing the environmentalperformance of plastic bags TetraPak containers and glass bottles The results showed that ldquoit dependsrdquo It depends on the systemin which the packaging is used including how it is transported how far it travels whether it is collected for landfill or recycling
Noodles in US ndash Lee Scott Wal-Martrsquos CEO cited the Benton County Daily Recordrsquos story of how making smoother noodles (in aproduct called ldquoHamburger Helprdquo) means those noodles settle better This means less air is needed in the pouch that contains thenoodles which means a smaller box is required to transport and protect them Report from Wal-Mart Sustainability Summit 12October 2007 Greenbizcom
Packaging Bread ndash Looking only at the environmental footprint of packaging materials ndash for instance paper versus plastic forpackaging bread ndash does not tell the whole story or lead to the most sustainable solution One must consider the product system Forinstance some types of bread may get stale faster in paper than in plastic other breads may preserve better in paper If more food isthrown away in one packaging ldquosystemrdquo versus another (and food often has a much higher environmental footprint than itspackaging) this need be consider for each situation
Cat Food in Denmark ndash Plastic versus cans versus jarshellip In one example from the Danish EPA plastic pouches of cat food allowedmore tons of cat food to be packed in each delivery truck when compared to cans or jars A great way to reduce emissions fromtransportationhellip but what about refillability or recyclability Energy needed for manufacturing Storage or breakage These are someof the multiple issues that need be examined for each product system and thus make material-by-material comparisons ineffectiveDanish Environmental Protection Agency Publication No 546 2000
Packaging from Renewables ndash The Sustainable Packaging Coalition cited a recent life cycle assessment of several products madefrom both renewable and non-renewable resources (Uihlein et al 2007) which concludes there is no clear cut advantage forrenewable materials on environmental grounds In different geographies with different resource bases and different wastemanagement systems all materials will have advantages and disadvantages to be identified and managed There are impactsassociated with creating bio-based polymers from forestry and agricultural just as there are impacts from making plastics from fossilfuels
Five Winds International 6
2 METHODOLOGY
Five Winds International inventoried existing sustainable packaging initiatives via desktop researchand interviews with knowledgeable individuals in private industry NGOs research organisations andgovernments The purpose of the inventory was to identify guidelines standards and tools that aretested well designed well recognised or have other attributes to draw from (or adopt) in order toinform CCME in moving forward once it develops its strategy (underway)
Five Winds International proposed an initial set of packaging initiatives to examine in the inventorywhich were approved by the CCME To organise and present the inventory a set of relevant criteriawere established in collaboration with the CCME (see below) These criteria helped facilitate theassessment of each initiative ndash both overall and more specifically in terms of potential applicability inCanada and relevance to CCMErsquos mandate Also due to their potential relevance to the CCME ourresearch included two (non-packaging) purchasing tools for procurement professionals andconsumers
The purpose of the inventory of existing initiatives was not to evaluate the merits of each approachThe purpose was to examine these efforts in relation to CCMErsquos objectives and purpose which maybe quite separate and distinct from the objectives of the initiatives
CCME invited stakeholders to comment on initial findings and recommendations from the inventoryCCME invited stakeholders to a workshop in Ottawa on 1 February 2008 There were 15 participantswith 20 representing local government 20 from the environmental NGO community and 60from industry CCME also held an open web consultation inviting stakeholders to commentspecifically on the proposed definition proposed guidelines and the ldquoother ideasrdquo recommended in
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 7
this study In total 15 stakeholders provided input via the web consultation Feedback from both theworkshop and web consultation has informed this final version of the report
Criteria used to assess each initiative Description
Type of approach Is the approach a scorecard design guidelines aregulation etc
Intended user Consumers packaging technologists etc
Voluntary vs mandatory approach
Scope of packaging system covered (life cyclestages)
Which stages of the packaging life cycle are and arenot included
Performance parameters measured Specific criteria and metrics
Gaps parameters missing
Measuring success Is there a target or goal
Perspectives of users and other stakeholders onstrengths and challenges of approach
For some not all initiatives it was appropriate tointerview users for their perspectives
Potential barriers to adoption in Canada
Does approach help provide design guidance ampguidance on characteristics of materials
Initial rating Is there potential value in adopting the initiativeadopting it with modifications considering just a fewelements or is it not recommended
3 INVENTORY OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING INITIATIVES
This section presents an inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives The initiatives profiledbelow include four main types packaging scorecards (eg Wal-Mart Scorecard SCJ Greenlist)design guidelines (SPC Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging WRAP Guide to EvolvingPackaging Design SCJ Greenlist JohnsonampJohnson Incpen Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice) regulations (eg European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste) and life cycledecision-making or analytical tools (MERGETM Tool BASFrsquos eco-efficiency tool SustainablePackaging Alliancersquos PIQET tool) or a combination thereof Two additional tools are inventoriedthat do not address packaging but are of interest in terms of their structure and application forinforming purchasing decisions (EPEAT and Climate Counts Scorecards) The type of approachbeing applied by each proponent is noted in the tables Note this inventory does not evaluate theindividual initiatives per se but assesses whether and how they may inform CCME in fulfilling itsobjectives
An analysis of findings from the inventory is presented at the end of this section
a) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash DEFINITION amp DESIGN
GUIDELINES
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 8
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) ndash a not-for-profit organization with over one hundredmember organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations ndash is a project ofGreenBlue1 The SPC is an industry working group whose mission is ldquoto advocate and communicatea positive robust environmental vision for packaging and to support innovative functional packagingmaterials and systems that promote economic and environmental health through supply chaincollaborationrdquo2 GreenBlue provides technical administrative and mission support to the Coalition
The SPC has developed a consensus-based definition of Sustainable Packaging and in December2006 published Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging3 that
Provides a basis for education of sustainability considerations as they relate to packaging andto help bring them into the mainstream of packaging development
Designed to be flexible and adaptable to the various needs of designers and the requirementsof a diverse industry
Includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability andenvironmental considerations into the packaging design process
Provides an overview of sustainability cradle-to-cradle design and the SPCrsquos definition ofsustainable packaging
Includes various design strategy sectionso Design sustainablyo Design for transporto Design with environmental best practiceo Design with fair labour and trade practiceso Design with renewable virgin materialso Design for reuseo Design for recyclingo Design for composting
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is4
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy
1 GreenBlue emerged out of projects at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) a private sustainable product andprocess design consultancy co-founded by American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart in1995 GreenBlue was founded in November 2002 under the premise that a non-profit platform will allow broader leveraging ofthese assets into a comprehensive open-source system of resources for the widespread adoption of cradle-to-cradle principlesoften in contexts unavailable to MBDC as a private-sector consultancy The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is one of sixprimary activities for Greenblue Mission Statement To inspire a transformation in the design of human industryhellipbased onprinciples found in the productive systems of naturehellipmaking commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force2 Sustainable Packaging Coalition website httpwwwsustainablepackagingorgabout_visionasp3 Design Guidelines for Sustainable PackaginghttpwwwpackagingdigestcomnewsiteInfoChannelinfo_sustainable_formphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 9
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 10
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 11
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 12
getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 13
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
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Five Winds International 14
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
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d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
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Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
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Five Winds International 18
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 19
f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
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Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 46
6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 47
APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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Five Winds International 3
participants indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned thatGuidelines on their own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industryStakeholders indicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives anddisincentives to ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packagingdesigners brand owners retailers etc
ADDITIONAL IDEAS
To contribute to real progress on sustainable packaging in Canada CCME could add value byinvesting in educating consumers supporting companies and industries that already have tools andtargets for sustainable packaging and engaging companies that have not yet begun ndash all by pointingthese players to existing guidelines and tools that are ready to use With this approach CCME couldquickly put itself in a facilitator role by building on what exists and collaborating with governmentsand organisations that have already raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending timereinventing the wheel Of course all of this must be evaluated in context of the Canada-wideStrategy for Sustainable Packaging being developed by CCME
The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from the inventoryillustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their own sustainablepackaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt and apply theseideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence of any CCMEstrategy or action plan for packaging Only after such a strategy is established will it be valuable toevaluate each of these ideas
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada
ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT
The report is organized in the following sections
1 Context ndash A short discussion on what is happening in the sustainable packaging arena2 Methodology ndash Presents the methodology for the research3 Inventory ndash Short profiles of existing government industry and non-governmental
organization initiatives organized in table format according to key criteria These initiativescover a range of approaches including design guidelines regulations life cycle analyticaltools to support decision-making scorecards and procurement tools (not related topackaging) A summary of findings from the inventory including trends gaps and strengthsis also presented here
4 Proposed Next Steps ndash Based on the research a working definition for consideration byCCME is proposed an existing set of guidelines are proposed and a list of ideas arepresented for CCME to promote sustainable packaging in Canada by building on existingwork and filling identified gaps
5 Appendices ndash Supporting materials for initiatives profiled in the Inventory
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Five Winds International 4
1 CONTEXT FOR SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
Rationale for Acting QuicklyOver the last two years there hasbeen a renewed and intensifiedmarket interest in products withsuperior environmental and socialperformance Consumer andmedia consciousness ofsustainability issues ndash such asclimate change toxic substancesethical sourcing and consumptionndash is at an all time high This haslead retailers like Wal-MartTesco and Home Depot to pushtheir supply chains to providemore sustainable products andpackaging In Canada thePackaging Association of Canadahas begun to develop a packagingrating tool and is also launching a curriculum on sustainable packaging in collaboration with the USSustainable Packaging Coalition Governments who have maintained their interest over the years inreducing packaging waste going to landfill are intensifying their focus on products and packagingand are increasingly using producer responsibility as a policy lever to promote more sustainableforms of production and consumption Over the last two decades a small group of leadingorganizations (eg some brand owners and NGOs) worked to promote more sustainable packagingToday there is a convergence of the interests of three key actors - government retailers and civilsociety (Figure 1) This convergence is creating a significant window of opportunity to makemeaningful measurable and long lasting changes that will improve the sustainability performance ofpackaging systems
Rationale for Harmony amp International Collaboration While interest in sustainable packaging ishigh creating packaging that fulfills technical and social performance criteria with a smallerenvironmental footprint is still challenging These challenges include selecting appropriatematerials maintaining product protection understanding complex supply chains predicting end oflife scenarios ensuring health and safety (especially for food products) and comparing the impacts ofalternate systems Consequently there is no ldquoone size fits allrdquo approach to sustainable packaging andto make the best choices packaging designers and engineers need to consider a range of factorsFigure 2 illustrates some of these
Social FactorsSupply chainLaborfoodproduction
Health and safety
Life cycle impactsndash GWP ODP
Primary energyWaste
hellip
Technical AssessmentFit for purpose
functionality- Safety
- Transport- Storage Cold Chain
hellip
Risk AssessmentEco-toxicity
Human HealthMaterial attributes
- sustainability
Life Cycle Costsmaterials capital
equipment product loss
recyclinginfrastructure
Figure 2 Some key information needs for evaluating the sustainability attributes of packaging (GWP globalwarming potential ODP ozone depleting potential)
Figure 1 Converging interests in sustainable packaging
SocietalConsciousness
Growing media andconsumer focus on
sustainable products
Retailers
Reduce suppply chaincosts and footprint and
developing greenproducts
Government
Promote sustainableproduction andconsumption ndash
resource conservationreduce waste to landfill
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Five Winds International 5
The diversity of factors noted in Figure 2 means that defining sustainable packaging from productionthrough service life to end-of-life can be challenging Another complicating factor is theliberalization of trade and the resulting complexity of supply chains This can pose a challenge topackaging designers and engineers consumers and increasingly retailers who want to get a clearpicture of the upstream sustainability performance attributes of packaging materials Consequentlythe development of harmonized approaches to encouraging more sustainable packaging choices isincreasingly important Rather than pursuing individual approaches that may confuse consumers andother stakeholders it is important for industry governments and other interested stakeholders to worktogether toward sustainable solutions
Fortunately information to support packaging designersrsquo and engineersrsquo understanding of thesustainability attributes of packaging is growing daily Life cycle datasets and software are becomingmore sophisticated end-of life scenarios and waste management impacts are becoming somewhateasier to model materials suppliers are providing better data and chemical risks are becoming betterunderstood
Rationale for Life Cycle View of Packaging Enough is now known about sustainability to call intoquestion the notion of universal criteria that are applicable to all packaging (eg renewable percentrecycled content) and instead call for the selection of the best packaging design and material for theproduct system in question A current barrier to sustainability is packaging guidelines that pickwinner and loser materials (eg plastic resin X is better than paperboard product Y) This does notpromote more sustainable packaging as materials clearly have different sustainability benefits andchallenges that depend on the product system and life cycle phase in discussion (eg will thepackaging end up in conditions where it can biodegrade or be collected for reuse) Material choiceswill of course still be made but they should be made in the context of what makes sense for thespecific product system (see lsquowhy is a product system perspective importantrsquo insert below)Therefore it is difficult to make direct material comparisons in absence of understanding the productsystem context and sustainable packaging definitions and guidelines should avoid falling into thispitfall
It is important to present characteristics of individual materials and raise awareness about all lifecycle stages so as not to promote material comparisons on a simple kilogram-by-kilogram basis It isalso important to provide guidance for all value chain players (packaging designers materialsuppliers product manufacturers retailers consumers) on their potential roles and responsibilities forcontributing to more sustainable packaging Clearly an approach that takes a market oriented view(ie how to communicate design choices to customers and consumers) will also be an asset as changeis required among all value chain players
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Why is a lsquoproduct system perspectiversquo important What others have learnedhellip
Milk in Switzerland ndash The Swiss EMPA conducted a life cycle assessment of milk packaging systems comparing the environmentalperformance of plastic bags TetraPak containers and glass bottles The results showed that ldquoit dependsrdquo It depends on the systemin which the packaging is used including how it is transported how far it travels whether it is collected for landfill or recycling
Noodles in US ndash Lee Scott Wal-Martrsquos CEO cited the Benton County Daily Recordrsquos story of how making smoother noodles (in aproduct called ldquoHamburger Helprdquo) means those noodles settle better This means less air is needed in the pouch that contains thenoodles which means a smaller box is required to transport and protect them Report from Wal-Mart Sustainability Summit 12October 2007 Greenbizcom
Packaging Bread ndash Looking only at the environmental footprint of packaging materials ndash for instance paper versus plastic forpackaging bread ndash does not tell the whole story or lead to the most sustainable solution One must consider the product system Forinstance some types of bread may get stale faster in paper than in plastic other breads may preserve better in paper If more food isthrown away in one packaging ldquosystemrdquo versus another (and food often has a much higher environmental footprint than itspackaging) this need be consider for each situation
Cat Food in Denmark ndash Plastic versus cans versus jarshellip In one example from the Danish EPA plastic pouches of cat food allowedmore tons of cat food to be packed in each delivery truck when compared to cans or jars A great way to reduce emissions fromtransportationhellip but what about refillability or recyclability Energy needed for manufacturing Storage or breakage These are someof the multiple issues that need be examined for each product system and thus make material-by-material comparisons ineffectiveDanish Environmental Protection Agency Publication No 546 2000
Packaging from Renewables ndash The Sustainable Packaging Coalition cited a recent life cycle assessment of several products madefrom both renewable and non-renewable resources (Uihlein et al 2007) which concludes there is no clear cut advantage forrenewable materials on environmental grounds In different geographies with different resource bases and different wastemanagement systems all materials will have advantages and disadvantages to be identified and managed There are impactsassociated with creating bio-based polymers from forestry and agricultural just as there are impacts from making plastics from fossilfuels
Five Winds International 6
2 METHODOLOGY
Five Winds International inventoried existing sustainable packaging initiatives via desktop researchand interviews with knowledgeable individuals in private industry NGOs research organisations andgovernments The purpose of the inventory was to identify guidelines standards and tools that aretested well designed well recognised or have other attributes to draw from (or adopt) in order toinform CCME in moving forward once it develops its strategy (underway)
Five Winds International proposed an initial set of packaging initiatives to examine in the inventorywhich were approved by the CCME To organise and present the inventory a set of relevant criteriawere established in collaboration with the CCME (see below) These criteria helped facilitate theassessment of each initiative ndash both overall and more specifically in terms of potential applicability inCanada and relevance to CCMErsquos mandate Also due to their potential relevance to the CCME ourresearch included two (non-packaging) purchasing tools for procurement professionals andconsumers
The purpose of the inventory of existing initiatives was not to evaluate the merits of each approachThe purpose was to examine these efforts in relation to CCMErsquos objectives and purpose which maybe quite separate and distinct from the objectives of the initiatives
CCME invited stakeholders to comment on initial findings and recommendations from the inventoryCCME invited stakeholders to a workshop in Ottawa on 1 February 2008 There were 15 participantswith 20 representing local government 20 from the environmental NGO community and 60from industry CCME also held an open web consultation inviting stakeholders to commentspecifically on the proposed definition proposed guidelines and the ldquoother ideasrdquo recommended in
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Five Winds International 7
this study In total 15 stakeholders provided input via the web consultation Feedback from both theworkshop and web consultation has informed this final version of the report
Criteria used to assess each initiative Description
Type of approach Is the approach a scorecard design guidelines aregulation etc
Intended user Consumers packaging technologists etc
Voluntary vs mandatory approach
Scope of packaging system covered (life cyclestages)
Which stages of the packaging life cycle are and arenot included
Performance parameters measured Specific criteria and metrics
Gaps parameters missing
Measuring success Is there a target or goal
Perspectives of users and other stakeholders onstrengths and challenges of approach
For some not all initiatives it was appropriate tointerview users for their perspectives
Potential barriers to adoption in Canada
Does approach help provide design guidance ampguidance on characteristics of materials
Initial rating Is there potential value in adopting the initiativeadopting it with modifications considering just a fewelements or is it not recommended
3 INVENTORY OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING INITIATIVES
This section presents an inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives The initiatives profiledbelow include four main types packaging scorecards (eg Wal-Mart Scorecard SCJ Greenlist)design guidelines (SPC Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging WRAP Guide to EvolvingPackaging Design SCJ Greenlist JohnsonampJohnson Incpen Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice) regulations (eg European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste) and life cycledecision-making or analytical tools (MERGETM Tool BASFrsquos eco-efficiency tool SustainablePackaging Alliancersquos PIQET tool) or a combination thereof Two additional tools are inventoriedthat do not address packaging but are of interest in terms of their structure and application forinforming purchasing decisions (EPEAT and Climate Counts Scorecards) The type of approachbeing applied by each proponent is noted in the tables Note this inventory does not evaluate theindividual initiatives per se but assesses whether and how they may inform CCME in fulfilling itsobjectives
An analysis of findings from the inventory is presented at the end of this section
a) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash DEFINITION amp DESIGN
GUIDELINES
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Five Winds International 8
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) ndash a not-for-profit organization with over one hundredmember organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations ndash is a project ofGreenBlue1 The SPC is an industry working group whose mission is ldquoto advocate and communicatea positive robust environmental vision for packaging and to support innovative functional packagingmaterials and systems that promote economic and environmental health through supply chaincollaborationrdquo2 GreenBlue provides technical administrative and mission support to the Coalition
The SPC has developed a consensus-based definition of Sustainable Packaging and in December2006 published Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging3 that
Provides a basis for education of sustainability considerations as they relate to packaging andto help bring them into the mainstream of packaging development
Designed to be flexible and adaptable to the various needs of designers and the requirementsof a diverse industry
Includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability andenvironmental considerations into the packaging design process
Provides an overview of sustainability cradle-to-cradle design and the SPCrsquos definition ofsustainable packaging
Includes various design strategy sectionso Design sustainablyo Design for transporto Design with environmental best practiceo Design with fair labour and trade practiceso Design with renewable virgin materialso Design for reuseo Design for recyclingo Design for composting
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is4
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy
1 GreenBlue emerged out of projects at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) a private sustainable product andprocess design consultancy co-founded by American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart in1995 GreenBlue was founded in November 2002 under the premise that a non-profit platform will allow broader leveraging ofthese assets into a comprehensive open-source system of resources for the widespread adoption of cradle-to-cradle principlesoften in contexts unavailable to MBDC as a private-sector consultancy The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is one of sixprimary activities for Greenblue Mission Statement To inspire a transformation in the design of human industryhellipbased onprinciples found in the productive systems of naturehellipmaking commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force2 Sustainable Packaging Coalition website httpwwwsustainablepackagingorgabout_visionasp3 Design Guidelines for Sustainable PackaginghttpwwwpackagingdigestcomnewsiteInfoChannelinfo_sustainable_formphp
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Five Winds International 9
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
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Five Winds International 10
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
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Five Winds International 11
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 12
getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 14
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
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d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
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e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
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f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
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f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
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Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
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Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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Five Winds International 4
1 CONTEXT FOR SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING
Rationale for Acting QuicklyOver the last two years there hasbeen a renewed and intensifiedmarket interest in products withsuperior environmental and socialperformance Consumer andmedia consciousness ofsustainability issues ndash such asclimate change toxic substancesethical sourcing and consumptionndash is at an all time high This haslead retailers like Wal-MartTesco and Home Depot to pushtheir supply chains to providemore sustainable products andpackaging In Canada thePackaging Association of Canadahas begun to develop a packagingrating tool and is also launching a curriculum on sustainable packaging in collaboration with the USSustainable Packaging Coalition Governments who have maintained their interest over the years inreducing packaging waste going to landfill are intensifying their focus on products and packagingand are increasingly using producer responsibility as a policy lever to promote more sustainableforms of production and consumption Over the last two decades a small group of leadingorganizations (eg some brand owners and NGOs) worked to promote more sustainable packagingToday there is a convergence of the interests of three key actors - government retailers and civilsociety (Figure 1) This convergence is creating a significant window of opportunity to makemeaningful measurable and long lasting changes that will improve the sustainability performance ofpackaging systems
Rationale for Harmony amp International Collaboration While interest in sustainable packaging ishigh creating packaging that fulfills technical and social performance criteria with a smallerenvironmental footprint is still challenging These challenges include selecting appropriatematerials maintaining product protection understanding complex supply chains predicting end oflife scenarios ensuring health and safety (especially for food products) and comparing the impacts ofalternate systems Consequently there is no ldquoone size fits allrdquo approach to sustainable packaging andto make the best choices packaging designers and engineers need to consider a range of factorsFigure 2 illustrates some of these
Social FactorsSupply chainLaborfoodproduction
Health and safety
Life cycle impactsndash GWP ODP
Primary energyWaste
hellip
Technical AssessmentFit for purpose
functionality- Safety
- Transport- Storage Cold Chain
hellip
Risk AssessmentEco-toxicity
Human HealthMaterial attributes
- sustainability
Life Cycle Costsmaterials capital
equipment product loss
recyclinginfrastructure
Figure 2 Some key information needs for evaluating the sustainability attributes of packaging (GWP globalwarming potential ODP ozone depleting potential)
Figure 1 Converging interests in sustainable packaging
SocietalConsciousness
Growing media andconsumer focus on
sustainable products
Retailers
Reduce suppply chaincosts and footprint and
developing greenproducts
Government
Promote sustainableproduction andconsumption ndash
resource conservationreduce waste to landfill
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Five Winds International 5
The diversity of factors noted in Figure 2 means that defining sustainable packaging from productionthrough service life to end-of-life can be challenging Another complicating factor is theliberalization of trade and the resulting complexity of supply chains This can pose a challenge topackaging designers and engineers consumers and increasingly retailers who want to get a clearpicture of the upstream sustainability performance attributes of packaging materials Consequentlythe development of harmonized approaches to encouraging more sustainable packaging choices isincreasingly important Rather than pursuing individual approaches that may confuse consumers andother stakeholders it is important for industry governments and other interested stakeholders to worktogether toward sustainable solutions
Fortunately information to support packaging designersrsquo and engineersrsquo understanding of thesustainability attributes of packaging is growing daily Life cycle datasets and software are becomingmore sophisticated end-of life scenarios and waste management impacts are becoming somewhateasier to model materials suppliers are providing better data and chemical risks are becoming betterunderstood
Rationale for Life Cycle View of Packaging Enough is now known about sustainability to call intoquestion the notion of universal criteria that are applicable to all packaging (eg renewable percentrecycled content) and instead call for the selection of the best packaging design and material for theproduct system in question A current barrier to sustainability is packaging guidelines that pickwinner and loser materials (eg plastic resin X is better than paperboard product Y) This does notpromote more sustainable packaging as materials clearly have different sustainability benefits andchallenges that depend on the product system and life cycle phase in discussion (eg will thepackaging end up in conditions where it can biodegrade or be collected for reuse) Material choiceswill of course still be made but they should be made in the context of what makes sense for thespecific product system (see lsquowhy is a product system perspective importantrsquo insert below)Therefore it is difficult to make direct material comparisons in absence of understanding the productsystem context and sustainable packaging definitions and guidelines should avoid falling into thispitfall
It is important to present characteristics of individual materials and raise awareness about all lifecycle stages so as not to promote material comparisons on a simple kilogram-by-kilogram basis It isalso important to provide guidance for all value chain players (packaging designers materialsuppliers product manufacturers retailers consumers) on their potential roles and responsibilities forcontributing to more sustainable packaging Clearly an approach that takes a market oriented view(ie how to communicate design choices to customers and consumers) will also be an asset as changeis required among all value chain players
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Why is a lsquoproduct system perspectiversquo important What others have learnedhellip
Milk in Switzerland ndash The Swiss EMPA conducted a life cycle assessment of milk packaging systems comparing the environmentalperformance of plastic bags TetraPak containers and glass bottles The results showed that ldquoit dependsrdquo It depends on the systemin which the packaging is used including how it is transported how far it travels whether it is collected for landfill or recycling
Noodles in US ndash Lee Scott Wal-Martrsquos CEO cited the Benton County Daily Recordrsquos story of how making smoother noodles (in aproduct called ldquoHamburger Helprdquo) means those noodles settle better This means less air is needed in the pouch that contains thenoodles which means a smaller box is required to transport and protect them Report from Wal-Mart Sustainability Summit 12October 2007 Greenbizcom
Packaging Bread ndash Looking only at the environmental footprint of packaging materials ndash for instance paper versus plastic forpackaging bread ndash does not tell the whole story or lead to the most sustainable solution One must consider the product system Forinstance some types of bread may get stale faster in paper than in plastic other breads may preserve better in paper If more food isthrown away in one packaging ldquosystemrdquo versus another (and food often has a much higher environmental footprint than itspackaging) this need be consider for each situation
Cat Food in Denmark ndash Plastic versus cans versus jarshellip In one example from the Danish EPA plastic pouches of cat food allowedmore tons of cat food to be packed in each delivery truck when compared to cans or jars A great way to reduce emissions fromtransportationhellip but what about refillability or recyclability Energy needed for manufacturing Storage or breakage These are someof the multiple issues that need be examined for each product system and thus make material-by-material comparisons ineffectiveDanish Environmental Protection Agency Publication No 546 2000
Packaging from Renewables ndash The Sustainable Packaging Coalition cited a recent life cycle assessment of several products madefrom both renewable and non-renewable resources (Uihlein et al 2007) which concludes there is no clear cut advantage forrenewable materials on environmental grounds In different geographies with different resource bases and different wastemanagement systems all materials will have advantages and disadvantages to be identified and managed There are impactsassociated with creating bio-based polymers from forestry and agricultural just as there are impacts from making plastics from fossilfuels
Five Winds International 6
2 METHODOLOGY
Five Winds International inventoried existing sustainable packaging initiatives via desktop researchand interviews with knowledgeable individuals in private industry NGOs research organisations andgovernments The purpose of the inventory was to identify guidelines standards and tools that aretested well designed well recognised or have other attributes to draw from (or adopt) in order toinform CCME in moving forward once it develops its strategy (underway)
Five Winds International proposed an initial set of packaging initiatives to examine in the inventorywhich were approved by the CCME To organise and present the inventory a set of relevant criteriawere established in collaboration with the CCME (see below) These criteria helped facilitate theassessment of each initiative ndash both overall and more specifically in terms of potential applicability inCanada and relevance to CCMErsquos mandate Also due to their potential relevance to the CCME ourresearch included two (non-packaging) purchasing tools for procurement professionals andconsumers
The purpose of the inventory of existing initiatives was not to evaluate the merits of each approachThe purpose was to examine these efforts in relation to CCMErsquos objectives and purpose which maybe quite separate and distinct from the objectives of the initiatives
CCME invited stakeholders to comment on initial findings and recommendations from the inventoryCCME invited stakeholders to a workshop in Ottawa on 1 February 2008 There were 15 participantswith 20 representing local government 20 from the environmental NGO community and 60from industry CCME also held an open web consultation inviting stakeholders to commentspecifically on the proposed definition proposed guidelines and the ldquoother ideasrdquo recommended in
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Five Winds International 7
this study In total 15 stakeholders provided input via the web consultation Feedback from both theworkshop and web consultation has informed this final version of the report
Criteria used to assess each initiative Description
Type of approach Is the approach a scorecard design guidelines aregulation etc
Intended user Consumers packaging technologists etc
Voluntary vs mandatory approach
Scope of packaging system covered (life cyclestages)
Which stages of the packaging life cycle are and arenot included
Performance parameters measured Specific criteria and metrics
Gaps parameters missing
Measuring success Is there a target or goal
Perspectives of users and other stakeholders onstrengths and challenges of approach
For some not all initiatives it was appropriate tointerview users for their perspectives
Potential barriers to adoption in Canada
Does approach help provide design guidance ampguidance on characteristics of materials
Initial rating Is there potential value in adopting the initiativeadopting it with modifications considering just a fewelements or is it not recommended
3 INVENTORY OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING INITIATIVES
This section presents an inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives The initiatives profiledbelow include four main types packaging scorecards (eg Wal-Mart Scorecard SCJ Greenlist)design guidelines (SPC Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging WRAP Guide to EvolvingPackaging Design SCJ Greenlist JohnsonampJohnson Incpen Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice) regulations (eg European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste) and life cycledecision-making or analytical tools (MERGETM Tool BASFrsquos eco-efficiency tool SustainablePackaging Alliancersquos PIQET tool) or a combination thereof Two additional tools are inventoriedthat do not address packaging but are of interest in terms of their structure and application forinforming purchasing decisions (EPEAT and Climate Counts Scorecards) The type of approachbeing applied by each proponent is noted in the tables Note this inventory does not evaluate theindividual initiatives per se but assesses whether and how they may inform CCME in fulfilling itsobjectives
An analysis of findings from the inventory is presented at the end of this section
a) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash DEFINITION amp DESIGN
GUIDELINES
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The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) ndash a not-for-profit organization with over one hundredmember organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations ndash is a project ofGreenBlue1 The SPC is an industry working group whose mission is ldquoto advocate and communicatea positive robust environmental vision for packaging and to support innovative functional packagingmaterials and systems that promote economic and environmental health through supply chaincollaborationrdquo2 GreenBlue provides technical administrative and mission support to the Coalition
The SPC has developed a consensus-based definition of Sustainable Packaging and in December2006 published Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging3 that
Provides a basis for education of sustainability considerations as they relate to packaging andto help bring them into the mainstream of packaging development
Designed to be flexible and adaptable to the various needs of designers and the requirementsof a diverse industry
Includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability andenvironmental considerations into the packaging design process
Provides an overview of sustainability cradle-to-cradle design and the SPCrsquos definition ofsustainable packaging
Includes various design strategy sectionso Design sustainablyo Design for transporto Design with environmental best practiceo Design with fair labour and trade practiceso Design with renewable virgin materialso Design for reuseo Design for recyclingo Design for composting
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is4
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy
1 GreenBlue emerged out of projects at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) a private sustainable product andprocess design consultancy co-founded by American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart in1995 GreenBlue was founded in November 2002 under the premise that a non-profit platform will allow broader leveraging ofthese assets into a comprehensive open-source system of resources for the widespread adoption of cradle-to-cradle principlesoften in contexts unavailable to MBDC as a private-sector consultancy The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is one of sixprimary activities for Greenblue Mission Statement To inspire a transformation in the design of human industryhellipbased onprinciples found in the productive systems of naturehellipmaking commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force2 Sustainable Packaging Coalition website httpwwwsustainablepackagingorgabout_visionasp3 Design Guidelines for Sustainable PackaginghttpwwwpackagingdigestcomnewsiteInfoChannelinfo_sustainable_formphp
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a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
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Five Winds International 10
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
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b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 12
getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
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Five Winds International 13
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
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Five Winds International 14
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 16
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 18
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 19
f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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Five Winds International 47
APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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Five Winds International 5
The diversity of factors noted in Figure 2 means that defining sustainable packaging from productionthrough service life to end-of-life can be challenging Another complicating factor is theliberalization of trade and the resulting complexity of supply chains This can pose a challenge topackaging designers and engineers consumers and increasingly retailers who want to get a clearpicture of the upstream sustainability performance attributes of packaging materials Consequentlythe development of harmonized approaches to encouraging more sustainable packaging choices isincreasingly important Rather than pursuing individual approaches that may confuse consumers andother stakeholders it is important for industry governments and other interested stakeholders to worktogether toward sustainable solutions
Fortunately information to support packaging designersrsquo and engineersrsquo understanding of thesustainability attributes of packaging is growing daily Life cycle datasets and software are becomingmore sophisticated end-of life scenarios and waste management impacts are becoming somewhateasier to model materials suppliers are providing better data and chemical risks are becoming betterunderstood
Rationale for Life Cycle View of Packaging Enough is now known about sustainability to call intoquestion the notion of universal criteria that are applicable to all packaging (eg renewable percentrecycled content) and instead call for the selection of the best packaging design and material for theproduct system in question A current barrier to sustainability is packaging guidelines that pickwinner and loser materials (eg plastic resin X is better than paperboard product Y) This does notpromote more sustainable packaging as materials clearly have different sustainability benefits andchallenges that depend on the product system and life cycle phase in discussion (eg will thepackaging end up in conditions where it can biodegrade or be collected for reuse) Material choiceswill of course still be made but they should be made in the context of what makes sense for thespecific product system (see lsquowhy is a product system perspective importantrsquo insert below)Therefore it is difficult to make direct material comparisons in absence of understanding the productsystem context and sustainable packaging definitions and guidelines should avoid falling into thispitfall
It is important to present characteristics of individual materials and raise awareness about all lifecycle stages so as not to promote material comparisons on a simple kilogram-by-kilogram basis It isalso important to provide guidance for all value chain players (packaging designers materialsuppliers product manufacturers retailers consumers) on their potential roles and responsibilities forcontributing to more sustainable packaging Clearly an approach that takes a market oriented view(ie how to communicate design choices to customers and consumers) will also be an asset as changeis required among all value chain players
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Why is a lsquoproduct system perspectiversquo important What others have learnedhellip
Milk in Switzerland ndash The Swiss EMPA conducted a life cycle assessment of milk packaging systems comparing the environmentalperformance of plastic bags TetraPak containers and glass bottles The results showed that ldquoit dependsrdquo It depends on the systemin which the packaging is used including how it is transported how far it travels whether it is collected for landfill or recycling
Noodles in US ndash Lee Scott Wal-Martrsquos CEO cited the Benton County Daily Recordrsquos story of how making smoother noodles (in aproduct called ldquoHamburger Helprdquo) means those noodles settle better This means less air is needed in the pouch that contains thenoodles which means a smaller box is required to transport and protect them Report from Wal-Mart Sustainability Summit 12October 2007 Greenbizcom
Packaging Bread ndash Looking only at the environmental footprint of packaging materials ndash for instance paper versus plastic forpackaging bread ndash does not tell the whole story or lead to the most sustainable solution One must consider the product system Forinstance some types of bread may get stale faster in paper than in plastic other breads may preserve better in paper If more food isthrown away in one packaging ldquosystemrdquo versus another (and food often has a much higher environmental footprint than itspackaging) this need be consider for each situation
Cat Food in Denmark ndash Plastic versus cans versus jarshellip In one example from the Danish EPA plastic pouches of cat food allowedmore tons of cat food to be packed in each delivery truck when compared to cans or jars A great way to reduce emissions fromtransportationhellip but what about refillability or recyclability Energy needed for manufacturing Storage or breakage These are someof the multiple issues that need be examined for each product system and thus make material-by-material comparisons ineffectiveDanish Environmental Protection Agency Publication No 546 2000
Packaging from Renewables ndash The Sustainable Packaging Coalition cited a recent life cycle assessment of several products madefrom both renewable and non-renewable resources (Uihlein et al 2007) which concludes there is no clear cut advantage forrenewable materials on environmental grounds In different geographies with different resource bases and different wastemanagement systems all materials will have advantages and disadvantages to be identified and managed There are impactsassociated with creating bio-based polymers from forestry and agricultural just as there are impacts from making plastics from fossilfuels
Five Winds International 6
2 METHODOLOGY
Five Winds International inventoried existing sustainable packaging initiatives via desktop researchand interviews with knowledgeable individuals in private industry NGOs research organisations andgovernments The purpose of the inventory was to identify guidelines standards and tools that aretested well designed well recognised or have other attributes to draw from (or adopt) in order toinform CCME in moving forward once it develops its strategy (underway)
Five Winds International proposed an initial set of packaging initiatives to examine in the inventorywhich were approved by the CCME To organise and present the inventory a set of relevant criteriawere established in collaboration with the CCME (see below) These criteria helped facilitate theassessment of each initiative ndash both overall and more specifically in terms of potential applicability inCanada and relevance to CCMErsquos mandate Also due to their potential relevance to the CCME ourresearch included two (non-packaging) purchasing tools for procurement professionals andconsumers
The purpose of the inventory of existing initiatives was not to evaluate the merits of each approachThe purpose was to examine these efforts in relation to CCMErsquos objectives and purpose which maybe quite separate and distinct from the objectives of the initiatives
CCME invited stakeholders to comment on initial findings and recommendations from the inventoryCCME invited stakeholders to a workshop in Ottawa on 1 February 2008 There were 15 participantswith 20 representing local government 20 from the environmental NGO community and 60from industry CCME also held an open web consultation inviting stakeholders to commentspecifically on the proposed definition proposed guidelines and the ldquoother ideasrdquo recommended in
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 7
this study In total 15 stakeholders provided input via the web consultation Feedback from both theworkshop and web consultation has informed this final version of the report
Criteria used to assess each initiative Description
Type of approach Is the approach a scorecard design guidelines aregulation etc
Intended user Consumers packaging technologists etc
Voluntary vs mandatory approach
Scope of packaging system covered (life cyclestages)
Which stages of the packaging life cycle are and arenot included
Performance parameters measured Specific criteria and metrics
Gaps parameters missing
Measuring success Is there a target or goal
Perspectives of users and other stakeholders onstrengths and challenges of approach
For some not all initiatives it was appropriate tointerview users for their perspectives
Potential barriers to adoption in Canada
Does approach help provide design guidance ampguidance on characteristics of materials
Initial rating Is there potential value in adopting the initiativeadopting it with modifications considering just a fewelements or is it not recommended
3 INVENTORY OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING INITIATIVES
This section presents an inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives The initiatives profiledbelow include four main types packaging scorecards (eg Wal-Mart Scorecard SCJ Greenlist)design guidelines (SPC Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging WRAP Guide to EvolvingPackaging Design SCJ Greenlist JohnsonampJohnson Incpen Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice) regulations (eg European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste) and life cycledecision-making or analytical tools (MERGETM Tool BASFrsquos eco-efficiency tool SustainablePackaging Alliancersquos PIQET tool) or a combination thereof Two additional tools are inventoriedthat do not address packaging but are of interest in terms of their structure and application forinforming purchasing decisions (EPEAT and Climate Counts Scorecards) The type of approachbeing applied by each proponent is noted in the tables Note this inventory does not evaluate theindividual initiatives per se but assesses whether and how they may inform CCME in fulfilling itsobjectives
An analysis of findings from the inventory is presented at the end of this section
a) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash DEFINITION amp DESIGN
GUIDELINES
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 8
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) ndash a not-for-profit organization with over one hundredmember organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations ndash is a project ofGreenBlue1 The SPC is an industry working group whose mission is ldquoto advocate and communicatea positive robust environmental vision for packaging and to support innovative functional packagingmaterials and systems that promote economic and environmental health through supply chaincollaborationrdquo2 GreenBlue provides technical administrative and mission support to the Coalition
The SPC has developed a consensus-based definition of Sustainable Packaging and in December2006 published Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging3 that
Provides a basis for education of sustainability considerations as they relate to packaging andto help bring them into the mainstream of packaging development
Designed to be flexible and adaptable to the various needs of designers and the requirementsof a diverse industry
Includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability andenvironmental considerations into the packaging design process
Provides an overview of sustainability cradle-to-cradle design and the SPCrsquos definition ofsustainable packaging
Includes various design strategy sectionso Design sustainablyo Design for transporto Design with environmental best practiceo Design with fair labour and trade practiceso Design with renewable virgin materialso Design for reuseo Design for recyclingo Design for composting
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is4
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy
1 GreenBlue emerged out of projects at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) a private sustainable product andprocess design consultancy co-founded by American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart in1995 GreenBlue was founded in November 2002 under the premise that a non-profit platform will allow broader leveraging ofthese assets into a comprehensive open-source system of resources for the widespread adoption of cradle-to-cradle principlesoften in contexts unavailable to MBDC as a private-sector consultancy The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is one of sixprimary activities for Greenblue Mission Statement To inspire a transformation in the design of human industryhellipbased onprinciples found in the productive systems of naturehellipmaking commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force2 Sustainable Packaging Coalition website httpwwwsustainablepackagingorgabout_visionasp3 Design Guidelines for Sustainable PackaginghttpwwwpackagingdigestcomnewsiteInfoChannelinfo_sustainable_formphp
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Five Winds International 9
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 10
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 11
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 12
getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 14
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
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e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
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Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
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Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
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Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 46
6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 48
APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 49
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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Five Winds International 51
APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Why is a lsquoproduct system perspectiversquo important What others have learnedhellip
Milk in Switzerland ndash The Swiss EMPA conducted a life cycle assessment of milk packaging systems comparing the environmentalperformance of plastic bags TetraPak containers and glass bottles The results showed that ldquoit dependsrdquo It depends on the systemin which the packaging is used including how it is transported how far it travels whether it is collected for landfill or recycling
Noodles in US ndash Lee Scott Wal-Martrsquos CEO cited the Benton County Daily Recordrsquos story of how making smoother noodles (in aproduct called ldquoHamburger Helprdquo) means those noodles settle better This means less air is needed in the pouch that contains thenoodles which means a smaller box is required to transport and protect them Report from Wal-Mart Sustainability Summit 12October 2007 Greenbizcom
Packaging Bread ndash Looking only at the environmental footprint of packaging materials ndash for instance paper versus plastic forpackaging bread ndash does not tell the whole story or lead to the most sustainable solution One must consider the product system Forinstance some types of bread may get stale faster in paper than in plastic other breads may preserve better in paper If more food isthrown away in one packaging ldquosystemrdquo versus another (and food often has a much higher environmental footprint than itspackaging) this need be consider for each situation
Cat Food in Denmark ndash Plastic versus cans versus jarshellip In one example from the Danish EPA plastic pouches of cat food allowedmore tons of cat food to be packed in each delivery truck when compared to cans or jars A great way to reduce emissions fromtransportationhellip but what about refillability or recyclability Energy needed for manufacturing Storage or breakage These are someof the multiple issues that need be examined for each product system and thus make material-by-material comparisons ineffectiveDanish Environmental Protection Agency Publication No 546 2000
Packaging from Renewables ndash The Sustainable Packaging Coalition cited a recent life cycle assessment of several products madefrom both renewable and non-renewable resources (Uihlein et al 2007) which concludes there is no clear cut advantage forrenewable materials on environmental grounds In different geographies with different resource bases and different wastemanagement systems all materials will have advantages and disadvantages to be identified and managed There are impactsassociated with creating bio-based polymers from forestry and agricultural just as there are impacts from making plastics from fossilfuels
Five Winds International 6
2 METHODOLOGY
Five Winds International inventoried existing sustainable packaging initiatives via desktop researchand interviews with knowledgeable individuals in private industry NGOs research organisations andgovernments The purpose of the inventory was to identify guidelines standards and tools that aretested well designed well recognised or have other attributes to draw from (or adopt) in order toinform CCME in moving forward once it develops its strategy (underway)
Five Winds International proposed an initial set of packaging initiatives to examine in the inventorywhich were approved by the CCME To organise and present the inventory a set of relevant criteriawere established in collaboration with the CCME (see below) These criteria helped facilitate theassessment of each initiative ndash both overall and more specifically in terms of potential applicability inCanada and relevance to CCMErsquos mandate Also due to their potential relevance to the CCME ourresearch included two (non-packaging) purchasing tools for procurement professionals andconsumers
The purpose of the inventory of existing initiatives was not to evaluate the merits of each approachThe purpose was to examine these efforts in relation to CCMErsquos objectives and purpose which maybe quite separate and distinct from the objectives of the initiatives
CCME invited stakeholders to comment on initial findings and recommendations from the inventoryCCME invited stakeholders to a workshop in Ottawa on 1 February 2008 There were 15 participantswith 20 representing local government 20 from the environmental NGO community and 60from industry CCME also held an open web consultation inviting stakeholders to commentspecifically on the proposed definition proposed guidelines and the ldquoother ideasrdquo recommended in
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 7
this study In total 15 stakeholders provided input via the web consultation Feedback from both theworkshop and web consultation has informed this final version of the report
Criteria used to assess each initiative Description
Type of approach Is the approach a scorecard design guidelines aregulation etc
Intended user Consumers packaging technologists etc
Voluntary vs mandatory approach
Scope of packaging system covered (life cyclestages)
Which stages of the packaging life cycle are and arenot included
Performance parameters measured Specific criteria and metrics
Gaps parameters missing
Measuring success Is there a target or goal
Perspectives of users and other stakeholders onstrengths and challenges of approach
For some not all initiatives it was appropriate tointerview users for their perspectives
Potential barriers to adoption in Canada
Does approach help provide design guidance ampguidance on characteristics of materials
Initial rating Is there potential value in adopting the initiativeadopting it with modifications considering just a fewelements or is it not recommended
3 INVENTORY OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING INITIATIVES
This section presents an inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives The initiatives profiledbelow include four main types packaging scorecards (eg Wal-Mart Scorecard SCJ Greenlist)design guidelines (SPC Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging WRAP Guide to EvolvingPackaging Design SCJ Greenlist JohnsonampJohnson Incpen Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice) regulations (eg European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste) and life cycledecision-making or analytical tools (MERGETM Tool BASFrsquos eco-efficiency tool SustainablePackaging Alliancersquos PIQET tool) or a combination thereof Two additional tools are inventoriedthat do not address packaging but are of interest in terms of their structure and application forinforming purchasing decisions (EPEAT and Climate Counts Scorecards) The type of approachbeing applied by each proponent is noted in the tables Note this inventory does not evaluate theindividual initiatives per se but assesses whether and how they may inform CCME in fulfilling itsobjectives
An analysis of findings from the inventory is presented at the end of this section
a) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash DEFINITION amp DESIGN
GUIDELINES
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Five Winds International 8
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) ndash a not-for-profit organization with over one hundredmember organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations ndash is a project ofGreenBlue1 The SPC is an industry working group whose mission is ldquoto advocate and communicatea positive robust environmental vision for packaging and to support innovative functional packagingmaterials and systems that promote economic and environmental health through supply chaincollaborationrdquo2 GreenBlue provides technical administrative and mission support to the Coalition
The SPC has developed a consensus-based definition of Sustainable Packaging and in December2006 published Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging3 that
Provides a basis for education of sustainability considerations as they relate to packaging andto help bring them into the mainstream of packaging development
Designed to be flexible and adaptable to the various needs of designers and the requirementsof a diverse industry
Includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability andenvironmental considerations into the packaging design process
Provides an overview of sustainability cradle-to-cradle design and the SPCrsquos definition ofsustainable packaging
Includes various design strategy sectionso Design sustainablyo Design for transporto Design with environmental best practiceo Design with fair labour and trade practiceso Design with renewable virgin materialso Design for reuseo Design for recyclingo Design for composting
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is4
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy
1 GreenBlue emerged out of projects at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) a private sustainable product andprocess design consultancy co-founded by American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart in1995 GreenBlue was founded in November 2002 under the premise that a non-profit platform will allow broader leveraging ofthese assets into a comprehensive open-source system of resources for the widespread adoption of cradle-to-cradle principlesoften in contexts unavailable to MBDC as a private-sector consultancy The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is one of sixprimary activities for Greenblue Mission Statement To inspire a transformation in the design of human industryhellipbased onprinciples found in the productive systems of naturehellipmaking commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force2 Sustainable Packaging Coalition website httpwwwsustainablepackagingorgabout_visionasp3 Design Guidelines for Sustainable PackaginghttpwwwpackagingdigestcomnewsiteInfoChannelinfo_sustainable_formphp
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a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
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Five Winds International 10
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
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b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
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Five Winds International 12
getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
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Five Winds International 14
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 16
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 18
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 19
f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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this study In total 15 stakeholders provided input via the web consultation Feedback from both theworkshop and web consultation has informed this final version of the report
Criteria used to assess each initiative Description
Type of approach Is the approach a scorecard design guidelines aregulation etc
Intended user Consumers packaging technologists etc
Voluntary vs mandatory approach
Scope of packaging system covered (life cyclestages)
Which stages of the packaging life cycle are and arenot included
Performance parameters measured Specific criteria and metrics
Gaps parameters missing
Measuring success Is there a target or goal
Perspectives of users and other stakeholders onstrengths and challenges of approach
For some not all initiatives it was appropriate tointerview users for their perspectives
Potential barriers to adoption in Canada
Does approach help provide design guidance ampguidance on characteristics of materials
Initial rating Is there potential value in adopting the initiativeadopting it with modifications considering just a fewelements or is it not recommended
3 INVENTORY OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING INITIATIVES
This section presents an inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives The initiatives profiledbelow include four main types packaging scorecards (eg Wal-Mart Scorecard SCJ Greenlist)design guidelines (SPC Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging WRAP Guide to EvolvingPackaging Design SCJ Greenlist JohnsonampJohnson Incpen Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice) regulations (eg European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste) and life cycledecision-making or analytical tools (MERGETM Tool BASFrsquos eco-efficiency tool SustainablePackaging Alliancersquos PIQET tool) or a combination thereof Two additional tools are inventoriedthat do not address packaging but are of interest in terms of their structure and application forinforming purchasing decisions (EPEAT and Climate Counts Scorecards) The type of approachbeing applied by each proponent is noted in the tables Note this inventory does not evaluate theindividual initiatives per se but assesses whether and how they may inform CCME in fulfilling itsobjectives
An analysis of findings from the inventory is presented at the end of this section
a) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash DEFINITION amp DESIGN
GUIDELINES
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The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) ndash a not-for-profit organization with over one hundredmember organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations ndash is a project ofGreenBlue1 The SPC is an industry working group whose mission is ldquoto advocate and communicatea positive robust environmental vision for packaging and to support innovative functional packagingmaterials and systems that promote economic and environmental health through supply chaincollaborationrdquo2 GreenBlue provides technical administrative and mission support to the Coalition
The SPC has developed a consensus-based definition of Sustainable Packaging and in December2006 published Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging3 that
Provides a basis for education of sustainability considerations as they relate to packaging andto help bring them into the mainstream of packaging development
Designed to be flexible and adaptable to the various needs of designers and the requirementsof a diverse industry
Includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability andenvironmental considerations into the packaging design process
Provides an overview of sustainability cradle-to-cradle design and the SPCrsquos definition ofsustainable packaging
Includes various design strategy sectionso Design sustainablyo Design for transporto Design with environmental best practiceo Design with fair labour and trade practiceso Design with renewable virgin materialso Design for reuseo Design for recyclingo Design for composting
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is4
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy
1 GreenBlue emerged out of projects at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) a private sustainable product andprocess design consultancy co-founded by American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart in1995 GreenBlue was founded in November 2002 under the premise that a non-profit platform will allow broader leveraging ofthese assets into a comprehensive open-source system of resources for the widespread adoption of cradle-to-cradle principlesoften in contexts unavailable to MBDC as a private-sector consultancy The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is one of sixprimary activities for Greenblue Mission Statement To inspire a transformation in the design of human industryhellipbased onprinciples found in the productive systems of naturehellipmaking commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force2 Sustainable Packaging Coalition website httpwwwsustainablepackagingorgabout_visionasp3 Design Guidelines for Sustainable PackaginghttpwwwpackagingdigestcomnewsiteInfoChannelinfo_sustainable_formphp
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a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
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Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
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b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 12
getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 14
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 16
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
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e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
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f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
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f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
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Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
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Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) ndash a not-for-profit organization with over one hundredmember organizations ranging from small businesses to large corporations ndash is a project ofGreenBlue1 The SPC is an industry working group whose mission is ldquoto advocate and communicatea positive robust environmental vision for packaging and to support innovative functional packagingmaterials and systems that promote economic and environmental health through supply chaincollaborationrdquo2 GreenBlue provides technical administrative and mission support to the Coalition
The SPC has developed a consensus-based definition of Sustainable Packaging and in December2006 published Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging3 that
Provides a basis for education of sustainability considerations as they relate to packaging andto help bring them into the mainstream of packaging development
Designed to be flexible and adaptable to the various needs of designers and the requirementsof a diverse industry
Includes issues that go beyond compliance and reflects the integration of sustainability andenvironmental considerations into the packaging design process
Provides an overview of sustainability cradle-to-cradle design and the SPCrsquos definition ofsustainable packaging
Includes various design strategy sectionso Design sustainablyo Design for transporto Design with environmental best practiceo Design with fair labour and trade practiceso Design with renewable virgin materialso Design for reuseo Design for recyclingo Design for composting
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is4
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its lifecycle
Meets market criteria for performance and cost
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy
1 GreenBlue emerged out of projects at McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) a private sustainable product andprocess design consultancy co-founded by American architect William McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart in1995 GreenBlue was founded in November 2002 under the premise that a non-profit platform will allow broader leveraging ofthese assets into a comprehensive open-source system of resources for the widespread adoption of cradle-to-cradle principlesoften in contexts unavailable to MBDC as a private-sector consultancy The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is one of sixprimary activities for Greenblue Mission Statement To inspire a transformation in the design of human industryhellipbased onprinciples found in the productive systems of naturehellipmaking commercial activity an ecological and socially regenerative force2 Sustainable Packaging Coalition website httpwwwsustainablepackagingorgabout_visionasp3 Design Guidelines for Sustainable PackaginghttpwwwpackagingdigestcomnewsiteInfoChannelinfo_sustainable_formphp
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a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
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Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
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b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
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In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
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d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
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e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
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f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
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Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
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j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
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example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
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Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 46
6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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a) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash Design Guidelines (2006)
Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios
Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradlecycles
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle perspective
Performance parametersmeasured
Source reduction Recycled content Design for transportation Design with environmental best practice Design with fair labour and trade practices Design with renewable virgin materials Sustainably managed sources Green chemistry and green engineering Design for reuse Design for recycling Design for composting
Gaps missing parameters None
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No guidance on what companies should be working towards or what goals ortargets for improvement should be set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Sensible comprehensive5
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) in the US and the PackagingAssociation of Canada have endorsed the definition and guidelines representingseveral companies in North America
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
No step-wise ldquoprocedurerdquo to support business decisions anticipate the updatedMERGETM Tool will provide this (see separate profile on MERGE)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Yes Guidelines provide direction are non-prescriptive and include information oncharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements the Definition Guidelines and the materials guidance
b) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING COALITION ndash MERGETM TOOL
4 This definition of Sustainable Packaging is from the Sustainable Packaging Coalition httpwwwsustainablepackagingorg5 Personal communication with UK Brand owner
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Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
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b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
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getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
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In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
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d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
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the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 18
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 19
f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
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Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The SPC acquired an exclusive license from Environmental Defense for the packaging design aspectof their MERGEtrade tool (Managing Environmental Resources Guidance and Evaluation) The initialMERGEtrade tool launched in 2001 was designed by Environmental Defense in collaboration withproduct development staff at SC Johnson to be a tool packaging designers could use to quickly screenpackaging designs early in the development process Using LCI derived data and other data for basicpackaging materials MERGEtrade calculates a quantitative profile of each package design for thirteencriteria or metrics and provides the user with feedback on whether the design has a positive ornegative impact on the criteria relative to a user-input base case These criteria provide anenvironmental profile that is scoped for a screening type of tool without the complexity of a full lifecycle type of evaluation
In addition MERGE scores are relative not absolute measures of environmental impact and henceonly have meaning in comparison to other MERGE scores (comparisons can be made against anotherpackaging design entered by the user or against an average score) For these reasons MERGE isintended to and should be only one source of information used to make product design decisions TheSPC is currently engaged in updating the data sets for MERGEtrade and working on a redevelopment ofthe next generation of the tool that is set to be released in Spring 2008 It will be available for alicensing fee of $500 or less to cover maintenance and updating of the data
wwwsustainablepackagingorgprojectsasp
Main updates include life cycle inventory data on steel aluminium biopolymers plastics fibres andglass as well as ldquosubstantialrdquo changes to the metrics This profile includes information from MERGEVersion 20 as well as some updates acquired through various contacts
b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
Type of approach(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design for Environment Life Cycle Decision-Making Tool ndash MERGE Version 20(currently being updated)
Intended user Primary audience ndash Product Packaging Designers
Secondary audience ndash MERGE Version 20 contains guidance for marketers andconsumer researchers that reveals how consumers relate to the environmentand how to develop product concepts that better meet consumers needs
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
MERGE Tool cradle to gate data for base material types
Performance parametersmeasured
Thirteen performance parameters measured6
1 Acute Ecological Hazard2 Chronic Ecological Hazard3 Dispersivity (ie dispersed into the environment in an unrecoverable form)4 VOC Content5 Missing Data (ie sensitivity analysis)
6 These metrics were taken from MERGE Version 20 Tool See Appendix 1 for a table showing the relationship between theMERGE metrics and the various stages of a typical product lifecycle
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b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
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In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 16
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 18
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 19
f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
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Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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b) Sustainable Packaging Coalition ndash MERGE Tool
6 Bad Actor Chemicals7 Non-recyclable Materials Content8 Packaging Resource Consumption9 Packaging Energy Consumption10 Virgin Materials Content11 Packaging Bad Actors12 Packaging Greenhouse Gases13 Pallet Inefficiency
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included (only base materialtypes)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed in MERGE Version 20
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
MERGE gives guidance to designers on how to improve their scores for eachmetric Tool allows users to compare one option to another (newer version ofpackaging vs earlier version) using consistent set of metrics
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
A number of corporations and industry associations are working in collaborationwith SPC on the MERGE update including Target Starbucks the USEnvironmental Protection Agency Kraft Foods and others
Challenges
Tool not used and tested Not ready until mid- to late-2008
Only cradle to gate for base material types
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of MERGE but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Promotes material by material comparison based on weight and results of lifecycle data modelling
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements when available may be a tool to recommend tocompanies as part of their design approach
c) WRAPrsquoS GUIDE TO EVOLVING PACKAGING DESIGN
Note this is not an evaluation of the guide per se but an evaluation of how the guide might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Waste amp Resources Action Programme (WRAP) was established as a not-for-profit privatecompany WRAP manages waste prevention programmes for four government departments WRAPis backed by Government funding from Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs)and the devolved administrations in Scotland Wales and Northern Ireland The UK government setstargets and legislation and WRAP develops programs to support those targets Its activities are not allregulatory ndash increasingly WRAP is looking at innovative voluntary ways to achieve objectives WRAPrsquos budgetis a rolling three year budget tied to government planning cycle WRAP is attempting and succeeding atleveraging private sector money For example WRAP is involved in an rPET recycling plant project that is
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Five Winds International 12
getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 16
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 18
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 19
f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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getting money from a city private equity and companies Packaging activities represent about 110 of an annualbudget of between 75 and 85 million pounds7
The WRAP Retail Innovation Program released The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design in May2007 The Retail Innovation Programme was established as a result of research undertaken byWRAP which found that as much as 50 of household waste which ultimately ends up in landfillhas originated from a purchase from the top 5 retail supermarket chains in the UK8 WRAP engagesconstructively with the leading retailers brand owners and their supply chain ndash as part of theCourtauld Commitment9 -- to identify collaborative approaches towards reducing the amount of foodand packaging waste that ends up in the household bin Twenty four major retailers brands andsuppliers in the UK have joined the Courtauld Commitment since it was launched in July 2005 andmany have announced their own packaging reduction targets (Tesco Marks amp Spencer etc)According to Mark Barthel to promote innovation they used to ask how much money is needed tosupport innovations Now they ask how much money is required to turn a no into a yes by identifyingROI hurdles in companies to make the necessary changes and then helping the companies overcomethese hurdles
The Guide to Evolving Packaging Design was developed for a broad audience anyone involved inthe specification design manufacture use or disposal of packaging It provides ideas tips andpractical tools to help change the way packaging is produced and used Finding the optimumpackaging solution ndash getting the balance right between the environmental impact of packaging andproduct integrity ndash is the aim of this guide10 Development of the Guide was informed by industrialknowledge of WRAPrsquos partner companies and innovation workshops WRAP held with its retailsupply chain partners
wwwwraporgukretailthe_guide_to_evolving_packaging_designindexhtml
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design Guidelines and ldquorules of thumbrdquo including some material guidance andbroader systemic issues such as reduction of food waste
Guide is also complemented by other design support tools including
o A ldquoConcept Roomrdquo ndash presents packaging ideas at various stages ofearly development design creations featured are in sketch form andaim to stimulate (currently showcases packaging for washing detergentand for ldquochilled and frozen ready mealsrdquo
o ldquoBest in Class Databaserdquo -- benchmarking tool gives indication oflightest middle and heaviest weight packaging used for food anddrinks products found on UK supermarket shelf
o ldquoInternational Packaging Databaserdquo ndash 200+ examples of innovativepackaging design case studies
o Other aspects of WRAP include efforts on building and constructionwaste and they have also recently launched a consumer focusedinitiative to reduce food waste
Intended user Broad audience anyone involved in the specification design manufacture useor disposal of packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash intended to provide best practice but linked to UK and EU targets
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition - WRAPrsquos focus is on waste minimization recycling andcomposting
7 Personal Communication Mark Barthel8 WRAPrsquos Retail Innovation Program website httpwwwwraporgukretailabout_usindexhtml9 Courtauld Commitment is an agreement between WRAP and major grocery organisations which will lead to new packagingsolutions and technologies so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin10 Overview Section of WRAPrsquos Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 13
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 14
c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 16
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
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Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
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e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
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Five Winds International 19
f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
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f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
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wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Packaging life cycle is addressed from product specification through to disposaland reuse
Performance parametersmeasured
No consistent performance parameters applied in scorecard type approach asGuide states there ldquois no one solution or one size fits all recommendation ndash itrsquosunderstanding the product and packaging life cycle and designing an appropriatefit for purpose packrdquo
Instead the Guide offers
o design guidelines according to waste hierarchy (and makes it specific topackaging) and
o checklists for various materials outlining sustainability attributes of each tobe maximized
o In next business plan (2008-2011) WRAP will look at more specific targets (egon recycled content target of 300 tonnes of rPET) and will be more holistic tocover carbon recycled content recyclability and behavioral change in addition topackaging waste reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social elements of packaging however they do work on behaviour change of theconsumer
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Monitor website ndash use of tools number of visits length of visits navigationpathways (indicates what people are most interested in can inform updates andchangs) Count public references to WRAP activities guidance and tools eg atconferences Look at lsquoBest in Class Packaging Data as indicator of shift incompany behaviour Solicit feedback on-line More broadly measure revenueturnover in recycling industry
WRAP does track amount of waste going to landfill and as such can indirectlymeasure progress with its initiatives (design guide Courtauld Commitment etc)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Emphasizes importance of brand in packaging design
Very comprehensive11
Discusses considerations of different materials (in favour against)
Helps designers prioritize according to waste hierarchy
Developed in conjunction with range of stakeholders
Very clearly encourages user to take technical and environmental considerationsinto account
Challenges
Guide was not ldquopeer reviewedrdquo
Guide does not relate design advice to availability of infrastructure to cope withproposals12
Majority of guide is very general13
Guide is primarily waste focused ndash not surprising as mandate of WRAP is toreduce waste to landfill though impacts from other life cycle stages areaddressed
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Guidelines are very much focused on UK (drivers consumer view case studieson innovative packaging design best in class database etc)
Retail sector brand owners very engaged in the UK and Courtauld Commitmentprovides clear direction and driver for adoption of guidelines (this driver iscurrently absent in Canada)
Does approach help provide Full life cycle view and product system are considered
11 Design Bridge 3D branding and packaging director Nick Verebelyi Wraprsquos design guide divides the sector Tess RainePackaging News 07 June 2007 wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector12 Concerns expressed by PI group partner Steve Kelsey wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector13 Concern expressed by The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environshyment (Incpen)wwwpackagingnewscouknews661910WrapE28099s-design-guide-divides-sector
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 15
In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 16
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 18
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 19
f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
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Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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c) WRAP Guide to Evolving Packaging Design
both design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Section 5 ndash Packaging Life Cycle Checkpoints relevant for design guidance(critical points of influence or change in the product packaging design system)
Section 8 ndash Material considerations ndash provides some material specificsustainability attributes Although some material bias does occur there is no overtfavouritism
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Incorporate life cycle checkpoints for design guidance provides good link toproduct design process
Build on material specific sustainability attributes as outlined in Section 8
Concept room and best practice examples database are good
May want to include WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools fordesigners as part of CCME Guidelines
d) WAL-MART PACKAGING CRITERIA AND SCORECARD
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In November 2006 Wal-Mart announced the US launch of its Packaging Scorecard for suppliers ameasurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate their packaging materials relative to othersuppliers based on specific metrics The metrics in the scorecard evolved from a list of favorableattributes known as the ldquo7 Rrsquos of Packagingrdquo Remove Reduce Reuse Recycle Renew Revenueand Read
On February 1 2007 Wal-Mart shared the packaging scorecard with its global supply chain of morethan 60000 suppliers During a one year trial period suppliers are able to input store and track datalearning and sharing their results as desired As of February 1 2008 Wal-Mart will begin using thepackaging scorecard to measure its supply chain based upon each companyrsquos ability to use lesspackaging utilize more effective materials in packaging and source these materials more efficientlyrelative to other suppliers The scorecard is based on the MERGE Tool template yet the life cycleinventory data in MERGE may not ready for use before mid-2008 as extensive LCI data collection iscurrently underway The scorecard will be rolled out in Canada and Brazil in 2008
Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Value Network a group of 200 representatives from the globalpackaging industry is leading the project This group includes representatives from governmentNGOs academia and industry
In collaboration with two consultants Wal-Mart developed Package Modeling ndash a research anddevelopment tool for the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and packaging industries Manufacturerscan create a series of packages comparing different packaging materials to determine how the use ofpreferred materials could help reduce environmental impact in select impact categories and improvetheir scores in Wal-Marts Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Additionally packaging suppliers andservice providers can use the software to demonstrate how their products can help manufacturersimprove their scores in Wal-Martrsquos Sustainable Packaging Scorecard Annual subscriptions forPackage Modeling cost $900 for the first user and $75 for each additional user
wwwscorecardmodelingcom
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In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
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d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 18
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 19
f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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In addition suppliers are also asked to fill out a ldquomaterial briefrdquo with data on material characteristicsThe brief is currently only in draft format and while the brief does inform the scorecard scores thisresearch did not uncover exactly how that is or will be done
d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Packaging scorecard
Modelling software to help designers compare packaging materials
Design principles guidelines in 7 Rrsquos of Packaging
Intended user Suppliers of products and packaging
Mandatory or voluntary Wal-Mart announced it may penalise suppliers that do not use the scorecardwith a reduction in number of products on the shelf (Wal-Mart supplierconference October 2007)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
In a press release on website states that ldquoImproved packaging means lesswaste fewer materials used and savings on transportation manufacturingshipping and storagerdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard states life-cycle view of a package is taken however for the GHGimpact category only material manufacturing is considered (emissionsduring use and end-of-life are not)
Performance parametersmeasured
Nine performance parameters measured
1 GHG CO2 per ton of Production2 Material Value3 Product Package Ratio4 Cube Utilization5 Transportation6 Recycled Content7 Recovery Value8 Renewable Energy9 Innovation
Gaps missing parameters Some life cycle stages (use disposal)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Ability to assess trade-offs (eg relative merits of highly recyclable andrecycled material versus merits of material from renewable sustainablymanaged source according to specific product and packaging needs)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Wal-Martrsquos packaging sustainability goals are
Reduce packaging across global supply chain by 5 percent by 2013(213000 less truckloads of merchandise 67 million gallons of diesel fuel notconsumed Reduction of 700000 tons of C O2)
Save Wal-Mart $34 billion
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Suppliers are taking approach seriously as Wal-Mart has significant purchasingpower stimulating proliferation of activity in value chain and in other retailers
Approach has gained a lot of media attention public profile and thereforeconsumer awareness
Challenges
Focus on reducing weight (to reduce cost) missing other environmental impacts(also scorecard combines occupational health data with environmental impactsfrom LCA into one indicator that excludes life cycle steps except materialmanufacturing)
Summarizes results into one score user cannot compare different impacts (egC02 emissions versus water consumption or solid waste generation) and thuscannot decide when faced with trade-offs which impacts are more important forthem to focus on changing
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d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
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Five Winds International 17
the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
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e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
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f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 20
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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Five Winds International 46
6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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d) Wal-Mart Scorecard
Compares packaging on material by material basis without understanding fullproduct package system loses sight of product system life cycle perspective
Does not capture social impacts of packaging (HampS fair labour practices toxicityetc)14
As companies can enter their own life cycle data and information difficult toensure everyone is using the same basis of comparison (eg systemboundaries same emissions factors functional attributes etc)15
EUROPEN believes ldquothat we should all avoid the risk of the Wal-Mart PackagingScorecard becoming a de facto industry standard Not only could such aneventuality disrupt the market but even worse it risks evolving in such a way asto become an inhibitor of innovation rather than a stimulatorrdquo16
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scorecard approaches have inherent assumptions that certain criteria (eg lowweight) are always environmentally preferable Experience indicates this is notappropriate as analysis need to be product system specific
Approach has been developed to meet Wal-Martrsquos corporate objectives which arefocused on delivering lowest cost product to consumer
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
e) SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
In 2001 SC Johnson devised Greenlisttrade -- a raw material rating system -- to transform the way thecompany measures tracks and improves its products (including packaging) to further the companyrsquoscommitment to reducing the environmental burden of manufacturing and selling environmentallyresponsible products As a patented system Greenlisttrade classifies the raw materials used in SCJohnsonrsquos products according to relevant criteria related to their impact on the environment humanhealth and supplier responsibility record Greenlisttrade has helped the company phase out certain rawmaterials and increase the use of materials considered to be environmentally ldquobetterrdquo and ldquobestrdquo SCJohnson also plans to license the approach to organizations interested in using Greenlisttrade royaltyfree
wwwscjohnsoncomcommunitygreenlistasp
Specific to packaging each packaging material has eight criteria that must be taken into accountwhen calculating its environmental score After providing a score for each of the criteria (from 0-317)
14 Comments received from Herman Miller Environmental Defense on Wal-Mart Scorecard Approach as part of MarketAnalysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and Paper Association August 200715 Comment received from US EPA part of Market Analysis for Fibre Box Association and American Forest and PaperAssociation August 200716 Julian Carroll Managing Director of EUROPEN European Press Release ldquoWal-Mart Packaging Scorecard should notbecome an industry standardrdquo dated 28 Sept 2007 httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2820EUROPEN20Press20Release20Wal-Mart20Packaging20Scorecardpdf
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the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
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e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
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f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
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f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
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g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
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wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
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Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
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Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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the numbers are then averaged to provide a final component score Within each parameter SCJ hasdeveloped a number of criteria relevant to the following packaging materials glass paper rigidplastic metal Examples of these criteria can be found in Appendix 218
e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard
Intended user Product and packaging designers within SCJ
Mandatory or voluntary Use is mandatory in all product design and redesign processes
Definition of sustainablepackaging
Sustainable packaging is
Is capable of being produced indefinitely by the planet
Does not pollute the planet or damage the environment
Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energysources which are non-polluting and
Meets the market criteria for performance and cost or the trade-off forenvironment friendliness is minimal
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials supplier practices and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
Eight performance parameters measured
1 Packaging Minimization2 Design for Recyclability3 Design for Reusability4 Sound Materials Selection5 Increased Use of Post Consumer Recycled Content6 Use of Renewable Resources7 Selection of Printing Methods and Materials8 Selection of Environmentally Conscious Supply Partners
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Product system is addressed separately from packaging
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
SCJ set 5 year goal to achieve 34 improvement in raw materials score ofproducts as measured by Greenlisttrade process (by 2012)
Eg premise is company can increase year-on-year percent improvement of rawmaterials that have least impact on environment and human health
17 An ingredient with a 3 rating is considered ldquoBestrdquo 2 is ldquoBetterrdquo 1 is ldquoAcceptablerdquo and 0 rated materials are ldquoRestricted Usematerialsrdquo that can only be used on a limited approved basis When SC Johnson scientists create a new product orreformulation they work to select raw materials rated ldquoBetterrdquo (2) or ldquoBestrdquo (3)18 These criteria are confidential to SCJohnson licensees of Greenlisttrade and selected suppliers19 GREENLISTtrade Packaging Criteria and Guidelines SC Johnson
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e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
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f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
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f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
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g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
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wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
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Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
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j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
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Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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e) SCJ GreenlistTM19
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths20
Promotes continual improvement
Includes criteria for selecting Printing Methods and Materials and selectingEnvironmentally Conscious Supply Partners (of note relative to other scorecards)
Recognized with awards -- GreenlistTM has been honoured with the USPresidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award
Rankings are meaningful objective -- SCJ developed the Greenlisttrade processwith input from experts such as the UKrsquos Forum For the Future and the US EPAand other experts
Packaging criteria are based on internationally recognized environmental andecotox legislation and standards so they are relevant around the globe
External validation ndash Greenlisttrade process has been reviewed by the Society ofEnvironmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) and World Wildlife Fund(WWF) and recently received third-party validation from the Green ChemistryInstitute a division of the American Chemical Society
Challenges
Has productraw material focus that is separate from the evaluation of the productsystem
Building in data and information is time intensive each licensee or new user mustdevelop own scoring system for each substance or material - SCJ recognizesthis and is going to build a database to share
Somewhat difficult to communicate Greenlist scores to consumers in meaningfulway Continuous improvement of overall brand is valued by many organizationsbut not as immediate as responding to clientrsquos request or pressure frommarketing to have a logo or statement that says ldquoour product is greenrdquo - SCJrecognizes this and is trying to forge partnerships with NSF and other standardsetting labelling organizations
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Patent only covers US-based implementation of the Greenlist approach createsinternational vulnerability to patent infractions
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Method of scoring is effective to show where concerns arise and to showimprovement over time
Greenlist contains scoring criteria specific to different materials (wood paperrigid plastic metals)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
criteria for specific materials scoring approach as it implies continual improvement (and easy to
communicate progress internally weaknesses with external communication) approach of setting goals at brand and product level (eg this product
category will improve score (averaged) across all products from 24 to 26by 200X)
20 Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges were informed by engagements with 32 perspective corporate users of SCJrsquosGreenlist approach through 2006-2007 A list of these prospective corporate users can be found in Appendix 5 Five WindsInternational is a third-party administrator of the SCJ Greenlist process
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f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
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f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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Five Winds International 21
The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
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g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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f) JOHNSONampJOHNSON PACKAGING DESIGN amp SELECTION
CRITERIA DFE TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
JohnsonampJohnson is a global company with three businesses medical equipment consumer productsand pharmaceuticals JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos packaging designers use a simple excel tool to evaluate theenvironmental implications of new packaging designs in the design phase This is only one part of acomprehensive ldquodesign-for-environmentrdquo tool used to evaluate the entire product The packagingpart of the DfE tool prompts designers to respond to several questions about the performance of thepackaging and links them with information on the rationale for each question including bothregulatory and corporate requirements (eg EU Packaging Directive and JohnsonampJohnsonrsquos owncorporate 2010 goals for plastic and paper packaging)
f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Each of the companyrsquos sites are required to either use this tool (and most do) oran equivalent design-for-environment tool
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Focused primarily on end of life
Performance parametersmeasured
Example of performance parameters measured include
1 Banned materials as per national regulations (global in scope)2 Hazardous metals and other substances (as per corporate list)3 PVC (has removal been evaluated)4 Recovery (Material Recovery Energy Recovery Organic Recovery)5 Reuse6 Prevention by source reduction
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging (while missing from this lsquopackagingrsquo portion of thetool the company covers social impacts in its separate supply chain initiative)
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Tracks progress against companyrsquos goal for amount of paper packaging to besourced from FSC certified or minimum per cent post consumer recycled contentand removal of PVC
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Very comprehensive re global regulations on packaging and company corporategoals (global regulations are updated regularly)
Directly linked to regulation company policies and to corporate goal that isdriving a particular question rationale for each criteria is clear to designers
Asks whether claims are certified andor documented by suppliers
Prompts designers to consider emerging environmental issues (forward looking)as per issues on corporate list
Includes a design guide by material type
Challenges
Time to maintain and update
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f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
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g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
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wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
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Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
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Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
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Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
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Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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f) JohnsonampJohnson Packaging Design and Selection
Note Because the JampJ Packaging Design Guidelines are for internal use the only userconsulted with was JampJ
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Bans use of PVC (not in line with intent in this project to avoid material ldquowinnersrdquoand ldquolosersrdquo)
Focuses primarily on end of life when intent is to take full life cycle perspective
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider design guide for material type when developing material specificguidance
g) EUROPEAN DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND
PACKAGING WASTE
This European Directive adopted in 1994 (and amended twice since then) aims to harmonizenational measures in order to prevent or reduce the impact of packaging and packaging waste on theenvironment and to ensure the functioning of the internal market It contains provisions on theprevention of packaging waste on the re-use of packaging and on the recovery and recycling ofpackaging waste The ldquoEssentialrdquo or minimum requirements of the Directive relate to
Waste reduction by minimizing the weight andor volume of packaging Minimizing the presence of substances considered to be noxious or hazardous Nature and conditions for packaging to be reused Recovery of packaging by material recycling andor composting andor energy recovery
Further Requirements of the directive are provided in Appendix 4 Member States were required tointroduce systems for the return andor collection of used packaging to attain the following targets21
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 50 and 65 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 31 December 2008 at least 60 by weight of packaging waste to berecovered or incinerated at waste incineration plants with energy recovery
by no later than 30 June 2001 between 25 and 45 by weight of the totality of packagingmaterials contained in packaging waste to be recycled (with a minimum of 15 by weight foreach packaging material)
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight of packaging waste to berecycled
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materials contained in packagingwaste must be attained 60 by weight for glass paper and board 50 by weight for metals225 by weight for plastics and 15 by weight for wood
21 Summary of Waste Legislation on Packaging and Packaging Waste (Directive 9462EC)httpeuropaeuscadpluslegenlvbl21207htm
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The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
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g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
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wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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The European Parliament and the Council will develop targets for the third phase (2009-2014) by 31December 2007 based on the practical experience gained in the Member States in pursuit of thetargets from phases one and two and the findings of scientific research and evaluation techniquessuch as life-cycle assessments and cost-benefit analysis This target-setting process is repeated everyfive years
To provide the necessary data on waste management Member States must ensure that databases onpackaging and packaging waste are established on a harmonized basis and they must also promoteinformation campaigns aimed at the general public and economic operators
httpeceuropaeuenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
To support companies in the adoption of Directive 9462EC in 2005 the European StandardsInstitute (CEN) released a suite of standards designed to establish a framework for the continuousenvironmental improvement of packaging through a process of repeated reevaluations ascircumstances and technology changes and develops The six standards cover requirements specificto the manufacturing and composition of packaging the reuse of packaging and the recovery methodsof recycling energy recovery and composting The sixth standard described as ``the umbrellastandard`` explains the management systems approach to be used in the application of the other fiveThe CEN packaging standards are meant to be adaptable into any companyrsquos internal managementsystem For companies doing business in Europe or producing packaging for European market entryuse of the CEN standards guarantees that their packaging will be legally accepted as being incompliance with the Requirements of the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Regulation
Intended user Member State Governments
Mandatory or voluntary Mandatory ndash phased approach with increasing targets over time
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition of ldquoSustainable Packagingrdquo although legislation does defineldquopreventionrdquo ldquoreuserdquo ldquorecoveryrdquo ldquorecyclingrdquo
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Full life cycle of package
Performance parametersmeasured
Total amount of packaging recovered recycled or incinerated
Packaging volume and weight
Minimize noxious and other hazardous substances and materials
Legal requirements for limits of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) leadand mercury
Compostability
Biodegradability
Gaps missing parameters Social impacts of packaging
Impacts of various materials over the life cycle
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Legislation is based on continual improvement model first set of targetsintroduced for 2001 second set for 2008 third set for 2014
2008 targets for each Member State are as follows
by no later than 31 December 2008 between 55 and 80 by weight ofpackaging waste to be recycled
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 22
g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 23
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 24
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 25
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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Five Winds International 26
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 27
Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 46
6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 49
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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g) European Directive 9462EC on Packaging and Packaging Waste
no later than 31 December 2008 the following targets for materialscontained in packaging waste must be attained 60 by weight forglass paper and board 50 by weight for metals 225 by weight forplastics and 15 by weight for wood
Note Each Member State is allowed to reach those targets in whateverit deems most feasible (ie goal is mandated but approach or path toreach the goal is left flexible)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
European approach to packaging and environment legislation is working prettywell the Directive has been accepted the systems are established to collect andmanage packaging waste and targets for recovery and recycling are beingachieved and in many cases surpassed
Challenges
Even though the Directive strives to ldquoharmonizerdquo packaging initiatives acrossEurope each Member State has taken a slightly different approach to meetingthe targets and obligations not really a harmonized approach
Enforcement very limited in most countries
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
In Europe regulations are a much bigger driver for industry primary driver for NAcompanies is market NA companies much less amenable to legislation
Unlikely Canada could pass federal legislation such as what exists in Europethough provinces could follow cohesive regulatory path22
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Does not provide guidance on packaging design consumer awareness orcharacteristics of different materials
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
h) BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY ANALYSIS TOOL
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Beginning in 1996 BASF began to use Eco-Efficiency Analysis as a way to harmonize economic andecological considerations in the development of products and packaging Eco-Efficiency Analysisassesses the life cycle of a product or manufacturing process from the cradle to the grave throughcalculations in accordance to the ISO Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) standards For example itincludes the environmental impact of products used by BASF as well as of starting materialsmanufactured by others The analysis also takes the consumption behavior of end-users into accountas well as various recycling and disposal options To date about 300 different products andmanufacturing processes have been analyzed using the method BASF uses the tool to make strategicdecisions help detect and exploit potential ecological and economic improvements BASF has alsolaunched a new label for products that have been evaluated by an Eco-Efficiency Analysis to enhancecommunications with customers and other key stakeholders (See Appendix 5 for example of resultsfrom an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral water)
22 EUROPENrsquos Scorecard Evaluation Remarks to 3rd Annual Sustainable Packaging Forum Pittsburgh 27 September 2007By Julian Carroll Managing Director EUROPEN httpwwweuropenbeeuropenfilesFilePress20Releases2007-09-2720Speech-EUROPEN20Wal-Mart20Scorecard20Evalution20SPF20Pittsburghpdf
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wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
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Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
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j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
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example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
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Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
To further integrate sustainability considerations into their analysis BASF developed itsSEEbalancereg (or SocioEcoEfficiency) Analysis Tool The analysis considers three dimensions ofsustainability economy environment and society The aim is to quantify performance of all threepillars of sustainability with one integrated tool in order to direct - and measure - sustainabledevelopment in companies The tool is a recent launch and the approach is still undergoing minormodifications as they roll it out across the company
In SEEbalancereg societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categories employeesinternational community future generations consumers and local amp national community For each ofthese stakeholder categories measurable indicators are considered for example number of employeesoccupational accidents occurring during production but also risks involved in the use of the productused by the end consumer The societal indicators are summarized in a social fingerprint (SeeAppendix 6 for list of social indicators BASF considers in SEEbalance tool) The results of theSEEbalancereg are used to support corporate decision-making in the areas of marketing RampD strategyand political issues Summary of the results in the SEECubereg allow for effective communication(Appendix 6)
wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
This profile focuses on BASFrsquos Eco-efficiency tool
h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Decision-making analytical tool
Intended user Product and packaging designers within BASF as well as sales and marketing(to demonstrate superior performance)
Mandatory or voluntary Use is voluntary illustrates best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition however standard impact categories are examined (seebelow)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Takes cradle to grave (or cradle) life cycle view of impacts
Performance parametersmeasured
Eco-efficiency Analysis considers 6 parameters
1 Raw materials consumption
2 Energy consumption
3 Land use
4 Air and water emissions and disposal methods
5 Potential toxicity
6 Potential risks
Combining these individual data gives total environmental impact of product orprocess in ecological footprint Economic data are also compiled (All costsincurred in manufacturing or using product or packaging)
Economic and ecological data are plotted on xy graph (costs on horizontal axisand environmental impact on vertical axis) revealing the eco-efficiency of productor process compared to other products or processes (See Appendix 5 forexample of results from an eco-efficiency analysis on packaging for mineral
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
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Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
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j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
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example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
water)
Tool uses Boustead life cycle data plus internal data from 250+ projects lifecycle impact categories are weighted
Gaps missing parameters Some issues with quality of data supporting the environmental analysis (may notalways be up to date regionally appropriate etc)
Currently manipulating data in the tool can be challenging as it is excel-based
Social impacts not addressed in eco-efficiency tool however new SEEBalanceregincorporates social aspects
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals and targets for improvement however results of analysis caninform corporate goals for Product Stewardship and GHG tonne of sales metric
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Certified the approach via TUV and invited stakeholders (eg Wuppertal) tocomment
Specific process the company uses to inform business decisions as opposed togeneral guideline
Innovest ldquoadmires environmentally friendly strategy of the company thedevelopment of sustainable products and the use of the in-house developed Eco-Efficiency Analysis for comparison and optimization of advantages for theEnvironment and costs for different productsrdquo23
ldquoThese tools are excellent demonstration of BASFs capability credibility and skillin calculating an answer to how green sustainable is my product I am veryimpressed24
Eco-efficiency analysis combines environment and cost considerations and hasvery decision-maker friendly outputs (easy to understand matrix that shows mosteco-efficient option)
Challenges
Time involved in keeping the life cycle data up-to-date and maintaining integrityof excel files
External communication of results to customers and other stakeholders ndash BASFhas launched a label to try to address this challenge (label will refer to analysedcustomer benefit eg ldquowon 1st place as solvents for wire coating)
A challenge for another company trying to adopt BASFrsquos tool could be that thechosen impact categories and weighting (ie what impacts are most important)reflect values of BASF and the stakeholders they consulted ndash could need to beadapted to another companyrsquos values and those of their stakeholders
Analyses are highly dependent on expertise of the team knowledge of the tool
Adoption of tool by other potential users would require training and associatedfees for access to underlying datasets
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Provides a tool for decision-making however only facilitates comparison of oneproduct or package to another This helps with continual improvement butmeans there always has to be a baseline or comparative assessment
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainability attributes of different materialtypes
Does not provide direct guidance on sustainable packaging design although itcan be used to compare designs
23 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEBalancereg in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and ProcessesPresentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4th Annual Forum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig24 Comment by Hugh West Materials Technologist at Weyerhaeuser Received at Eco-efficiency Methodology TrainingSeminar in Dearborn Michigan on March 15-16 2007
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
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Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
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j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
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example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
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Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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h) BASF Eco-efficiency Tool
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider some elements
o graphic presentation of results
o multi-attribute comparison (environmental economic and socialfor SEEBalancereg) facilitates choosing among trade-offs
i) INCPEN RESPONSIBLE PACKAGING CODE OF PRACTICE
UK Packaging Federation the Food amp Drink Federation the British Retail Consortium and theIndustry Council for Packaging and the Environment produced the first edition of ResponsiblePackaging Code of Practice in 1998 and a second edition of the Code in 2003 The seven point Codewas designed to help manufacturers improve their packaging at the design stage by addressingenvironmental concerns consumer needs and functional considerations Over 85 of UK packagingchain companies are represented by Incpen and other Trade Associations that have agreed torecommend it to their members25 It is endorsed by the UK Government and the Advisory Body toTrading Standards Officers
wwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
When new specifications or packages are introduced INCPEN calls on manufacturers to assess theseagainst the Code
i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Design guidelines
Intended user Product and packaging designers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary ndash Intended to provide best practice
Definition of sustainablepackaging
No formal definition
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Includes guidance for all life cycle stages
Performance parametersmeasured
7 performance parameters are proposed
1 Function of packaging through the supply chain
2 Honesty in presentation
3 Convenience in use
4 Instructions guidance and information
5 Legal requirements
6 Health safety and consumer protection
7 Environmental aspects
as part of Environmental aspects section 8 aspects are introduced for consideration bydesigners
1 Innovation in materials and products (resource efficiency)
25 Incpen website httpwwwincpenorgpagespvaspp=incp14ampv=0ampfsize=0
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
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Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
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j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
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example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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i) Incpen Responsible Packaging Code of Practice
2 System considerations (packaging should improve sustainability of system andreduce was through system)
3 Space and weight efficiency (for transportation)
4 Re-use
5 Process waste (at all points in supply chain)
6 Best practice with materials (enable recovery)
7 Energy recovery and material recycling
8 Litter
Gaps missing parameters Lacks detail on environmental social impacts of different designs or materials
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
No formal goals or targets for improvement are set
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Endorsed by many companies and the UK government
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery) and standards (CEN and BSI) thatprovide a means of demonstrating compliance to that regulation
Challenges
No clear targets for improvement no way to measure success or level of uptake
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Scope of design guidelines have merit
No discussion or introduction of the environmental impacts and benefits ofvarious materials
With no targets for improvement hard to measure success or level of uptake
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Not recommended
j) INCPEN PACKAGING WATCHDOG
Note this is not an evaluation of the initiative per se but an evaluation of how it might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
The UKrsquos Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment is a research organisation that drawstogether an influential group of companies who share a vision of the future where all productiondistribution and consumption are sustainablerdquo26 INCPEN members represent ldquoevery stage of thesupply chainrdquo27 including Sainsburyrsquos Gillette Unilever Cadbury Schwepps Duracell Coca ColaElizabeth Arden Nestleacute Coca Cola Tetra Pak Boots Ball Packaging Europe Boots and othersThese members ldquocommit to adopting cradle-to-cradle thinking in developing packaging and productsupply chains that make a positive contribution to social environmental and economic developmentrdquo
26 INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf27 D Eggleston 2007 Packagingrsquos Contribution to a Sustainable Future presented at CCME National Packaging WorkshopToronto 12-13 March 2007 by David Eggleston independent consultant and member of INCPEN Board
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Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
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j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
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example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
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k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
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The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
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Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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Five Winds International 46
6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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Between 1992 and 1996 INCPEN established and funded an independent multi-stakeholder councilto encourage and promote good packaging the Packaging Standards Council or ldquopackagingwatchdogrdquo The council developed a code of practice (The INCPEN Responsible Packaging Code ofPractice described in previous section) and was charged with pressing industry for itsimplementation The council also acted as a watch dog It received and investigated customercomplaints ndash on anything from over-packaging to recycling to ease of opening ndash and challengedcompanies to change based on justified complaints The council ceased in 1996 when regulations onpackaging producer responsibility were coming into force Members were uncertain of what wouldbe required under the regulations and hesitant to fund a separate packaging initiative This is despiteINCPEN representativersquos view that the watchdog role of the council was successful Today INCPENis actively working to reinstate the watchdog28
The aim of INCPEN is threefold First ldquoto ensure policy on packaging makes a positive contributionto sustainability to encourage industry to minimise the environmental impact of packaging andpackaged goods and continuously improve packaging [and third] to explain the role of packaging insocietyrdquo According to Director Jan Bickerstaffe INCPEN commissioned a study in 1995 to ldquotake abroader integrated approach by assessing the total supply chain for food in the UKrdquo The study aimedto ldquoidentify opportunities for reducing the use of energy and wasted product as well as usedpackaging throughout the chain [and the study results] covered waste energy and recyclinghellip clearlyshowing it is necessary to take an integrated approach and that packaging in particular cannot beconsidered in isolation from its contents the production and distribution system within it operates andthe end usersrsquo requirementsrdquo29
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Watchdog
Intended user Consumers
Companies at any point of influence in the packaging supply chain
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainablepackaging
INCPEN defines not only packaging but a packaging system INCPENrsquos ldquoSustainablePackaging Systemrdquo is defined as
A sustainable packaging and product supply chain is a system that enablesgoods to be produced distributed used and recovered with minimumenvironmental impact at lowest social and economic cost
Packaging has to assessed in the context of the product the distribution chainand consumersrsquo needs
Packaging makes a positive contribution to sustainability if it reducesdamagespoilage of products by an amount that is greater than thematerialsenergycarbon used to make the packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
The Code of Practice which the watchdogCouncil is tasked with lsquoenforcingrsquo contains someguidance for all life cycle stages
28INCPEN Press Release 2007 INCPEN Champions Watchdog and Welcomes New Member MampS 9 February 2007
httpwwwincpenorgresourceuserdataincp1docsWatchdogandMampS9Feb2007finalpdf29 Source J Bickerstaffe 1998 An Integrated Product Policy Approach to the Food Supply Chain presented at EuropeanCommission Workshop on Integrated Product Policy 8 December 1998 and published in Workshop Final Report byDirectorate-General XI on Environment Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection Jane Bickerstaffe is Director of INCPEN
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Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
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example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
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k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
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The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
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l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
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m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
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Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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Five Winds International 28
j) Incpen Packaging Watchdog
Performance parametersmeasured
see ldquoINCPEN Responsible Packaging Code of Practicerdquo in previous section
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
Unclear whether the watchdogCouncil set goals or targets (currently contactingINCPEN to confirm)
The watchdogCouncil published annual reports based on outcomes fromconsumer complaints
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Educates and informs consumers
Offers support to consumers on packaging use and disposal
Council members represent industry local government retail consumer andenvironmental groups All appointed by independent chairman based onspecialization in consumer and environmental affairs local government tradingstandards packaging manufacturing and retailing
Endorsed by many companies
Linked to the UK Packaging (Essential Requirements) Regulation on hazardoussubstances volumeweight and recovery)
Challenges
Subject to industry funding interest and priorities
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
In the UK there is a backdrop of packaging legislation
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
na
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Adopt The watchdog approach could well apply to Canada in particular theaspects of consumer education and the pressure (watchdog) and support(guidelines) provided to poor industry performers
k) SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ALLIANCE PACKAGING IMPACT
QUICK EVALUATION TOOL (PIQETcopy)
Note this is not an evaluation of the tool per se but an evaluation of how the tool might fit withCCMErsquos objectives
Australiarsquos Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) is a joint initiative of Victoria University ofTechnology (Packaging and Polymer Research Unit) RMIT University (Centre for Design) andprivate firm Birubi Innovation Pty Ltd SPA ldquoaims to be an international focal point for knowledgetools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in packaging systemsenvironmental performance and sustainabilityhellip [and] to contribute to the positioning of Australia asan international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systemsrdquo30
In 2007 SPA launched PIQET a life cycle assessment (LCA) based tool with a web interface that isalready used by packaging technologists from five food and beverage brand owners in Australia (see
30 Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorgdefaultaspx
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Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
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Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
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Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
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Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
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Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
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Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 29
example results of the tool in Appendix 7) PIQET is intended to be a quick31 and easy to useassessment that informs business decisions helps to prioritise and reduce the overall environmentalimpact of packaging Packaging technologists can use the tool to evaluate new or existing packagingdesigns In both cases results can be compared against several different packaging scenarios andagainst ldquobest practicesrdquo compiled in the supporting database
The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue Acompany with $25-50 million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-yearsubscriptions PIQET has been under development since 2004 as a collaborative effort between SPAand five companies Cadbury Schweppes Lion Nathan Nestleacute Australia MasterFoods Australia andNew Zealand and Simplot Australia Additional financial support came from Sustainability Victoriaand the Australian government (Department of the Environment and Water Resources andDepartment of Communications Information Technology and the Arts) One of these companies hasalready trained over 28 of its packaging technologists another has mandated the use of PIQET for allpackaging designs and requires the results for new packages to be better than existing packages in thecompany or in the tools ldquobest practicerdquo database and another is evaluating whether it can use PIQETglobally to evaluate all its packaging
wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=9
wwwcfdrmiteduauprogramssustainable_products_and_packagingpiqet_packaging_impact_quick_evaluation_tool
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Life cycle decision making tool
Intended user Packaging technologists (responsible for developing packaging for new productsor variations of existing products)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary though developed to link with two Australian initiatives
o The voluntary National Packaging Covenant (requires all 600signatories have an action plan measure against 27 key performanceindicators set targets and report) and
o The Environmental Code of Practice for Packaging (ECoPP)
Definition of sustainablepackaging
As part of a three-year multi-stakeholder consultation project SPA32 drafted a definitionwhich is currently open for consultation
Effective The packaging system adds real value to society by effectivelycontaining and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient The packaging system is designed to use materials energy and waterefficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic Packaging materials used in the system are cycled continuously throughnatural or industrial systems with minimal material degradation Recovery ratesshould be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
31 PIQET should take a trained user 20 minutes per assessment plus time for collecting the needed input data (which is moretime consuming for the first evaluation and less so for subsequent evaluations)32 Sustainable Packaging Redefined ndash Draft November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance For more information on development of this definitioncontact Helen Lewis at the Sustainable Packaging Alliance in Australia +61 (0) 419 010 158 orenquiriessustainablepackorg wwwsustainablepackorgresearchsubpageaspxPageID=10ampid=7
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 30
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Safe Packaging components used in the system including materials finishesinks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
The draft definition is supported by strategies for packaging design manufacture logisticsand marketing (there are three or four strategies for each of the four elements of thedefinition) and key performance indicators (there is at least one KPI for each strategy)
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw material extraction packaging manufacture filling and productpackagingdistribution through to packaging disposal re-use and material reclamation
Performance parametersmeasured
The tools uses default life cycle data from the SimaPro LCA software databaseas well as some data entered by users
Users are able to select which performance parameters they would like tomeasure These include (but may not be limited to)
1 product packaging ratio2 depletion of non-renewable resources3 primary energy demand4 generation of greenhouse gases5 energy use6 recyclability7 recycled content8 photochemical oxidation potential9 ozone depletion potential10 water consumption11 land use12 solid waste13 National Packaging Covenant (NPC) 29 Key Performance Indicators
Gaps missing parameters Processed materials inks coatings etc are not included Only some data forbiobased materials are included (this is true for other tools using life cycledatabases)
Social impacts of packaging are not addressed
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
A continuous improvement approach
Links to companiesrsquo environmental management strategy and objectives
Can support reporting against NPC KPIs (for signatory companies)
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Users can compare up to three different packaging designs either created bythem or existing in the database (by packaging type)
Users can select which impact categories to view (eg view how three differentdesigns score in terms of water use global warming potential and solid wastegeneration)
Users can dig down into different points in the packaging life cycle to see whatimpacts are caused at what stages (packaging components convertingtransportation to filler or waste management for example)
Presentation of results are clear and engaging
Challenges
Most data used is default data from a database (ie would use an average valuefor recycled content where the user company may have a different actual valuefor recycled content in the material it is using)
Data collection as with many life cycle tools can be time consuming for newdesigns (eg weight of materials used number of products on each pallet) if thetechnologist does not have it at herhis fingertips
In LCA-based tools the influence of the package on itrsquos content (ie howeffectively the package preserves the life of the product) may not be fully dealtwith (this is not a challenge of PIQET but of LCA overall so it need becomplimented with other tools or guidelines)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
Data is based on the type of energy in Australia (ie is not specific to types ofenergy used by Canadian manufacturers)
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k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
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The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
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l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
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Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
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Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
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Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
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Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
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Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 31
k) Sustainable Packaging Alliance PIQETcopy
Does approach help provideboth design guidance andguidance on characteristicsof materials
Focuses on packaging and product systems not packaging (or materials) inisolation
Definition links packaging design with ldquoinformed responsiblerdquo consumption
Appears to promote collaborative approach by indicating importance ofpackaging technologists to work with packaging suppliers (screen and developnew packaging forms) marketers (portray the right marketing message) logisticsand supply chain managers (robust and efficient within the distribution chains)and product developers (product preservation shelf-life and function)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Definition is good ndash propose to adopt
Tool appears to be getting increasing use and appears potentially applicable ndashpropose to pilot test in Canada
l) ELECTRONIC PRODUCT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT TOOL ndashEPEAT
Note This is not a tool for packaging It is included in the inventory to evaluate whether it haselements which may be applicable to packaging
EPEAT is a web-based purchasing tool to help organizations compare computer desktops laptops andmonitors based on their environmental attributes It is an online system where manufacturers registerand self-declare how their products perform against a range of criteria The system and environmentalperformance criteria are based on a standard33 developed via a three year consultation process fundedby the US EPA that involved more than 100 stakeholders Depending on the number of criteria metproducts are ranked ldquogoldrdquo ldquosilverrdquo or ldquobronzerdquo There are 23 mandatory criteria that must be met toachieve any level of ranking (eg declaring the amount of postconsumer recycled plastic content theamount of renewablebio-based plastic materials content and the product weight) and an additional 28optional criteria (eg having postconsumer recycled plastic content above a certain threshold orrenewablebio-based plastic material content above a certain threshold) The data and rankings areaudited randomly by the Green Electronics Council ndash the organization that oversees the EPEAT toolAn excerpt from the site showing the number of products ranked in each category is included inAppendix 8
The purpose of EPEAT is to create market incentives for improving environmental design byproviding a measuring stick of product performance34 EPEAT is a combination eco-label anddeclaration system adding a twist to both It is similar to an eco-label (such as Green Seal andTerraChoice) but with five exceptions it was created and is governed by stakeholders it is a self-declaration system with after market verification it has three tiers of achievement it is based on anAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard and there is no label EPEAT is also like adeclaration system but with three exceptions again it was created and governed by a multi-stakeholder process it sets required minimum threshold criteria and it is independently verified
33 IEEE Standard 1680 for the Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products is an American National Standardowned by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers34 Wayne Rifer 2007 EPEAT A Model for Building a Product Environmental Standard June 2007 The Green ElectronicsCouncil wwwepeatnet or waynerifergreenelectronicscouncilorg
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 32
The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 33
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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The US Governmentrsquos Executive Order 13423 Section 2 (h) states that federal agencies must ldquoensurethat the agency hellip when acquiring an electronic product to meet its requirements meets at least 95percent of those requirements with an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered electronic product unless there is no EPEAT standard for such productrdquo
wwwepeatnet
l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
Type of approach Life cycle decision making (purchasing) tool
Intended user Purchasers
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary for manufacturers to register products Voluntary for use as apurchasing support tool Mandatory for US Government agencies to use inpurchasing
Definition of sustainablepackaging
na
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Raw materials use and end-of-life
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 51 criteria organised in 8 areas 23 criteria are required 28 are optional
1 Environmentally Sensitive Materials2 Materials Selection3 Design for End of Life4 Product LongevityLife Cycle Extension5 Energy Conservation6 End of Life Management7 Corporate Performance8 Packaging
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
EPEAT Bronze level products meet the 23 required criteria
EPEAT Silver level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 50 of theoptional criteria
EPEAT Gold level products meet the 23 required criteria and at least 75 of theoptional criteria
A total 532 products are registered with EPEAT and are searchable using the online tool
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
(eg on approach onimplementation on incentivesdisincentives or perverseincentives on ease of fit withown specifications)
Strengths
Created by multi-stakeholder process
A leadership standard not a baseline standard
Market driven
Helps harmonize many different requirements across US states (incorporatesexisting standards)
Funded by subscriber fees (with US EPA start up grant money)
Challenges
Checking verifying data and performance claims
Allocating time and resources to development and implementation (and fundingbody to operate it into future)
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
No barriers
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainability
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of EPEAT re design guidance and materialguidance
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l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
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Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
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Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
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Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
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Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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l) Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool
attributes of differentmaterials)
o On design EPEAT promotes a range of good environmental practicesin electronics design allows manufacturers to pick and choose thepractices that suit their strategy
o On materials EPEAT has criteria for recycled content and biobasedplastics endorsing those as more environmentally preferable (not inline with vision assumptions)
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider tiered structure
Consider online format to attract market recognition and reward good performers
m) CLIMATE COUNTS SCORECARD
Note This is not a scorecard for packaging It is included in the inventory to determine whether ithas elements which may be applicable to packaging
Climate Counts is a nonprofit organization funded by Stonyfield Farm Inc encouraging people tobuy from companies that take responsibility for climate change For instance the organization lists itsbeliefs on its website which include these two statements ldquoMost companies want to be goodcorporate citizens though they often need encouragement and support from their customers to justifytaking actionrdquo and ldquoConsumers and companies alike need rigorous tools and reliable information tomake informed decisions on climate changerdquo35
Climate Counts created a scorecard to rate companiesrsquo corporate performance in terms of how wellthey are tackling climate change It rates consumer product companies in 8 different sectors against22 criteria using data reported by the companies themselves Companies are ranked as ldquostuckrdquoldquostartingrdquo or ldquostridingrdquo and consumers can compare the score of one company with anotherAccording to the Climate Counts website the criteria are used to determine ldquowhether companieshave measured their climate footprint reduced their impact on global warming supported (orsuggest intent to block) progressive climate legislation and publicly disclosed their climate actionsclearly and comprehensively The scores are available to consumers in three ways in a full scorecardreport that details rankings against all criteria in a pocket-sized scorecard and via text message to amobile phone The latter two are intended to provide information to consumers when they areshopping
wwwclimatecountsorg
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
Type of approach
(scorecard design guidelinesregulation life cycle decision-making tool etc)
Scorecard (although not specific to packaging)
Intended user Citizens (while shopping)
Mandatory or voluntary Voluntary
Definition of sustainable na
35 Climate Counts ldquoWhat We Believerdquo online at httpwwwclimatecountsorgaboutphp
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m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
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Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
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Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
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Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Five Winds International 39
Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 34
m) Climate Counts Company Scorecard
packaging
Scope of packaging systemcovered
(life cycle stages addressed)
Scorecard focuses on greenhouse gas emissions measuring reducingsupporting legislation disclosing or reporting efforts transparently
Performance parametersmeasured
There are 22 criteria on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting organised intofour key areas review reduce policy stance and report
Gaps missing parameters na
Measuring success Settinggoals and targets
There is no lsquotargetrsquo or lsquowinningrsquo score
Consumers can view the Climate Counts score of any organisation that has beenevaluated and they can compare scores against other companies in the samesector
Perspectives of users otherkey stakeholders (egdesigners manufacturersbrand owners retailersconsumers)
na
Potential barriers to adoptionin Canada
None
Does approach help us movetoward vision (providingdesign guidance as well asguidance on sustainabilityattributes of differentmaterials)
Not a tool for packaging
Can learn from the structure of Climate Counts re design guidance and materialguidance it is not prescriptive It rates companies in terms of whether theymeasure their impact (here limited to greenhouse gas emissions) and whetherthey set and report against targets
Initial rating
(eg Adopt Adopt withmodifications Consider someelements Not recommended)
Consider text messaging and pocket scorecard elements that inform and engageconsumers
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
After reviewing and assessing these environmental and sustainable packaging initiatives thefollowing conclusions can be drawn It is important to note that as only thirteen initiatives wereexamined in the scope of this study it is not an exhaustive inventory scan However other existingapproaches have similar scope and structure to the ones analyzed in this study
Trends in approaches being applied
Organisations are applying a number of different type of approaches with often one or moreapproaches being used in combination (eg Sustainable Packaging Coalition promotes both designguidelines and a life cycle analytical tool to support decision making) Table 1 summarizes the typeof approaches being applied by each organization
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Five Winds International 35
Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 36
Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 37
of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
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Five Winds International 38
Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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Table 1 Type of Approach being Applied by Each Organization
Proponent Organization ScorecardDesign
GuidelinesRegulation
Life CycleAnalytical
Tool
OtherDesignSupport
Tools
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
WRAP
Wal-Mart
SCJohnson
JohnsonampJohnson
European Commission
BASF
INCPEN Guidelines
INCPEN Watchdog
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
EPEAT
Climate Counts
Packaging regulations focused on managing packaging at end of life are being applied in Europe (EUGermany Netherlands etc) But there is growing interest in the development of design guidelinesand life cycle analytical tools ndash by private companies governments and multi-stakeholdercollaborations ndash for use by packaging designers This indicates a recognition that it is at the designstage where significant packaging performance improvements can be made There is also a rise inuse of life cycle analytical tools indicating awareness of the value of life cycle thinking the desire tomake quantitative assessments and an increasing availability of quality life cycle data Only twoscorecards were analyzed in this inventory however it is known that other private companies arecurrently developing their own product and packaging design scorecards Despite concerns with thescorecard approach the growth in this approach may be because it allows for quantitativeassessments can be easy to communicate internally and externally and can help to show progressover time
Generally speaking there has been a proliferation of corporate leadership initiatives on packagingoften being driven by the market Consumer interest in the environment is growing and retailers andconsumer product goods companies are recognizing this shift and trying to capitalize on theopportunity it presents by developing more sustainable products and packaging Governments areattempting to recognize and support leading packaging initiatives (eg US EPA financiallysupporting MERGETM update recognizing SCJrsquos GreenlistTM with Green Chemistry awards WRAPdeveloping case studies on leading retailer initiatives etc) Given the current trends with governmentactivity on packaging in North America governments appear to be staying away from a regulatoryapproach and pursuing more of a supporting role
When corporations develop their own initiatives it can be difficult to communicate improvements andprogress to consumers and the market SCJ recognises this as a weakness of the GreenlistTM and isworking on third party recognition by NSF to enhance its ability to communicate externally BASFhas also initiated a third party labelling program to further validate and communicate the use of its
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Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
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of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
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Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
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poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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Eco-efficiency Analysis Tool It is still unclear how or whether Wal-Mart intends to communicateits packaging scorecard accomplishments to consumers This will continue to be a challenge toaddress as companies need to be rewarded by the market (in form of purchasing habits) for theirefforts or else they may begin to question the value of their initiatives
Common Elements
A number of common elements were noted in the sustainable packaging approaches inventoriedincluding
Development of tools or guidelines through a multi- stakeholder collaborative effort ndashobvious recognition that in order to build consensus and buy-in players from multiplebackgrounds need to be involved
Life cycle perspective ndash the majority of the approaches include performance parameters at allstages of the life cycle
Significant investment in development ndash all of the initiatives especially those incorporatinglife cycle databases took years of development before launching In the case of the SPAcoming up with a definition of Sustainable Packaging was a three year long consultativeproject
Inclusion of key performance parameters ndash eight of the packaging initiatives applyperformance parameters in their approach These varied quite a bit in what they coveredwith some coming in conflict with the working assumptions (eg assumptions that certaincriteria such as light weight or biobased are always environmentally preferable)
Potential Gaps
A number of potential gaps were also noted as part of the inventory analysis including
Lack of formal definition ndash Three proponent organizations have a formal definition forsustainable packaging As the bar for sustainability is always rising what is ldquomoresustainablerdquo changes and evolves with new information and social values
Assessing the social impacts of packaging (aside from health and safety) ndash Few initiativesincorporate social performance parameters in their tools or scorecards This isunderstandable as development of metrics and methods of measuring social performance arerelatively recent when compared to metrics and methods for measuring environmentalperformance
Specific guidance for each actor in the value chain ndash Many of the design guidelines and toolswere targeted at design professionals and engineers and did not take into account the rolesand responsibilities of all actors along the value chain (eg What type of sustainable productinformation should a materials provider be gathering and making available to stakeholdersWhat should retailers be looking for when specifying more sustainable packaging Whatcould consumers be looking for to denote more sustainable packaging when they are outshopping)
In particular guidance for consumers ndash The inventory includes three consumer-focusedinitiatives EPEAT Climate Counts and the INCPEN Watchdog Only the INCPENWatchdog focused on packaging and it is no longer operating This is an important gap andclear opportunity as consumers are a key leverage point for change Designers often cite lack
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of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
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Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
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Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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of consumer pull as a reason that new packaging designs are not taken up by brand ownersThere is a lack of impartial information for consumers on what they can do and the types ofquestions they can ask Others have already identified this gap PAC is proposing a tool thatwill provide consumers with information on packaging performance and INCPEN is workingto reestablish the watchdog Both SCJohnson and BASF realized they were notcommunicating the use of their internal tools to consumers and thus not gaining fullrecognition for any improvements (today BASF is looking at creating a label SCJ is workingwith NSF to create a consensus-based standard)
Guidance on material types ndash Only a few initiatives included sections in their guidelines orapproaches that provided information on the sustainability attributes of different materialsThis lack of understanding and awareness is what has lead to the historic debates of trying todefine which is the best material when in truth it depends on the product system andapplication
Emphasis on the product system ndash Similar to above there appears to be a need to raise thelevel of discourse to emphasize the product system and discuss the limitations of applyingselect environmental criteria (eg biobased or recycled content are not always better in termsof overall environmental impact) The higher in the hierarchy in the system changes can beinduced the higher the expected improvements (for instance if one is able to re-design theproduct maybe the packaging can be improved drastically or even avoided)
A step-by-step ldquoprocessrdquo ndash There is a lot of good general guidance at a high level butorganizations need to integrate external tools and processes into their own workingenvironments Many companies have tools to support their internal decision-making (Wal-Mart BASF SCJ JampJ) and targets for more sustainable products and packaging But thesetools would be difficult for others to pick up and use without understanding the contextbehind them (how did their corporate values dictate the approach how did they determinewhich performance parameters were important to them etc) and without tailoring them totheir own business priorities and values A step-by-step process for doing this will be helpfulto many businesses that need concrete guidance and help with implementation (a process theycan adapt and integrate)
Measuring progress or improvement with Guidelines ndash For all of the Guidelines examined aspart of this inventory none had easy-to-adopt methods for measuring progress orimprovement This is likely because Guidelines tend to be directional and do not specifyspecific outcomes Many of the Guidelines are striving to promote change in behaviourschanges in the way packaging engineers design and manufacture packaging If the goal ofGuidelines is to stimulate innovation and change it is difficult to be prescriptive aboutdesired outcomes There is more opportunity to set targets and measure progress with the useof tools Goals of both the SCJ and BASF tools include continual improvement and provide ameans for employees to show improvement over time (eg this package is more eco-efficientthan that one (BASF) this package received more 3rsquos than 2rsquos and is therefore animprovement (SCJ))
General strengths and weaknesses of the approaches
Based on the review of sustainable purchasing initiatives and conversations with many packaging andsustainability experts the following strengths and weaknesses were noted for the different approaches(Table 2)
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Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
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poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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Table 2 General strengths and weaknesses of each approach
Type of approach Strengths Weaknesses
Design guidelines Can provide inspiration high levelprinciples other organizations canadopt
Can provide good guidance anddesign ideas ndash lead to innovation
Are simple to use especially for lowcomplexity products SMEs andproduct designers
Alone can be too general for companiesto integrate into decision-making ndash needa next step to compliment guidance
As they are voluntary to use can bedifficult to measure level of uptakechange that has been affected etc
Scorecards Allows quantitative assessments
Can be easy to communicatechange internally and externally
Can provide a means to showprogress over time
Rolls up performance parameters intoone single number ndash does not allow forcomparison of trade offs evaluation ofpriorities
Has built in performance parameterassumptions that certain criteria (eglight weight) are always environmentallypreferable experience indicates this isnot appropriate as analysis needs to beproduct system specific
Can force material comparisons (egdoes package A or B has more recycledcontent) without considering otherimpacts or trade offs associated withthat criteria along the life cycle
Can be concerns about quality of datasupporting the scorecard
o Is not always transparent
o Data can be general ndash does notcapture true differences inimpacts in different productchains
o Using industry average datacan reward laggards andpenalize leading companies
Analytical tools Can be used effectively as internalbusiness decision-making tools
Provides process to input tobusiness decisions
Can help to track and demonstratecontinual improvement
Can allow for input and use ofcompany-specific data
Can be challenging to pick up andtransfer to other organizations becauseof inherent assumptions weighting andother value based judgements
Time and resource investment canrange from 20 minutes to a month ormore
Regulations Can support a clear target and helpto show progress over time
Can provide clear direction forindustry
Industry in North America tends to preferbottom up more flexible approaches
Regulations focused on a specific goal(reduce waste reduce GHGs) can havenegative environmental or social impactsin other phases of the life cycle(transportation)
May not reward and may even stifleinnovation
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Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
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Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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Based on the mandate articulated earlier in this report select elements from seven of the initiativescovered in the inventory provide particularly relevant examples for CCMErsquos EPRTG These elementsare presented in Table 3
Table 3 Strong elements of select initiatives proposed contribution to CCME
Proponent Organization Strong Elements
Sustainable PackagingCoalition
Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging and materials guidance
Potentially updated MERGETM
Tool (propose to be re-evaluated oncereleased)
WRAP Life cycle checkpoints for design guidance - link to product designprocess
Material specific sustainability attributes
Concept room and best practice examples database online
WRAP checklists and worksheets as support tools for designers
SCJohnson Different criteria for specific materials according to properties
INCPEN Watchdog Educates and informs consumers offers support on packaging use anddisposal
Watchdog members represent industry local government retailconsumer and environmental groups All appointed by independentchairman based on specialization in consumer and environmental affairslocal government trading standards packaging manufacturing andretailing
Endorsed by several companies
Sustainable PackagingAlliance
Definition
PIQET Tool
Climate Counts Savvy communication format consumers can access information on acompany via the internet or mobile phone (text messaging from thestore)
EPEAT Tiered structure of performance categories
Online format to make accessible to buyers and to provide visibility toreward good performers
4 POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Role for CCME Next steps for the CCME EPRTG need to be determined in light of the policy andstrategy that CCME is developing (currently underway) In creating its strategy CCME will be in aposition to consider both soft and hard policy approaches for example capacity building andregulation respectively The next steps described below focus on soft policy approaches onlySeveral stakeholders from the workshop and web consultation pointed out that a balance of hardpolicy (mandatory or ldquostickrdquo elements) and soft policy approaches (voluntary or ldquocarrotrdquo elements)are needed in order to move all players along and provide a level competitive playing field CCME isencouraged to consider the entire spectrum of policy approaches as it proceeds with the developmentof its Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging
The research revealed a number of potential next steps for CCME such as promoting education ofconsumers packaging material providers designers and others raising awareness on the impacts of
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 46
6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 47
APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
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Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
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Five Winds International 40
poorly designed packaging connecting consumers and others in the packaging life cycle withtechnical tools supporting companies and industries that already have tools and targets forsustainable packaging engaging companies that have not yet begun and encouraging new ideas bypointing to best practices and examples Although theses recommendations focus on ldquosoftrdquo roles itdoes not mean there is no role for hard policy as well only that hard policy approaches were not partof this research and would require a different type of research
CCME may wish to consider holding a small working session with leaders of Australiarsquos NationalPackaging Covenant the UKrsquos Courtauld Commitment or other national voluntary schemes simplyto learn directly from their experience and evaluate whether CCME can draw parallels for Canada(for example the Courtauld Commitment aims to design out packaging waste growth by 2008deliver absolute reductions in packaging growth by 2010 and identify ways to tackle the problem offood waste)
Below are potential next steps related to the definition and guidelines
Working Definitions
Of the initiatives inventoried only three included definitions for sustainable packaging One of thoseis a draft outcome of a three-year consultation project This points to the fact that agreeing on what isand is not more sustainable packaging is contentious and challenging to achieve consensus onNarrow definitions like ldquosustainable packaging is sourced from renewable materials and renewableenergyrdquo are helpful for some organizations because they lend themselves to the setting of cleartargets (ldquodecrease use of materials from non-renewable sources by 15 by 2010rdquo) Narrowdefinitions however are dangerous because they do not recognize trade-offs like using a materialfrom a non-renewable resource that lasts 10x longer and uses fewer resources More importantlynarrow definitions do not inspire innovation and change beyond incremental improvement Adefinition of sustainable packaging should not pick material ldquowinnersrdquo but should draw all productand packaging systems to higher levels of performance across the life cycle
The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) definition is believed to be a technically sound definitionsupport the CCMErsquos mandate and provide a reasonable opportunity for a range of stakeholders toagree upon This is because the definition
Recognizes the important function of packaging in protecting products and informingconsumers
Is directional presents a future path to strive toward and promotes innovation andcreativity
Promotes continual improvement recognizing that as scientific knowledge grows andsocietal values change so to will the perception of what is ldquomore sustainablerdquo This is incontrast to a definition that limits change by focusing on a list of performance attributessuch as renewable materials or recycled content
Is the result of a lengthy multi-stakeholder process and Is lead primarily by two university research centres
SPA Definition36
36 ldquoSustainable Packaging Redefined DRAFTrdquo November 2007 Helen Lewis Leanne Fitzpatrick Karli Verghese KeesSonneveld and Robert Jordon of the Sustainable Packaging Alliance
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Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
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Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 41
Sustainable packaging is
Effective social and economic benefit ndash the packaging system adds real value to society byeffectively containing and protecting products as they move through the supply chain and bysupporting informed and responsible consumption
Efficient doing more with less ndash The packaging system is designed to use materials energyand water efficiently throughout the product life cycle Efficiency can be defined throughreference to worldrsquos best practice at each stage of the packaging life cycle
Cyclic optimising recovery ndash Packaging materials used in the system are cycledcontinuously through natural or industrial systems with minimal material degradationRecovery rates should be optimised to ensure that they achieve energy and greenhouse gassavings
Safe non-polluting and non-toxic ndash Packaging components used in the system includingmaterials finishes inks pigments and other additives do not pose any risks to humans orecosystems When in doubt the precautionary principle applies
This draft definition was developed by the Sustainable Packaging Alliance via a multi-yearstakeholder consultation process It was revised most recently in mid-November 2007 and is open forcomment To support the definition SPA developed a set of ldquostrategies for packaging designmanufacture logistics and marketingrdquo and ldquokey performance indicatorsrdquo for each strategy FiveWinds International received this revised definition just before submitting this report and SPA hasindicated it is still open to receiving comments on its definition
Originally the SPA definition was recommended by the project team for further consideration by theCCME The SPArsquos definition stood out from the others because it defines sustainable packaging interms of how it performs across the life cycle not only how it performs at end of life ndash lifecycleinstead of only recycle The definition also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packagingand is directional and not prescriptive It is written to inspire creativity through several differentsolutions and does not stifle innovation with prescriptive targets Finally this definition is the resultof more than three years of work and multi-stakeholder consultation
However input from the workshop and web consultation pointed to important benefits of the SPCdefinition
SPC Definition
Sustainable packaging is
Is beneficial safe amp healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle Meets market criteria for performance and cost Is sourced manufactured transported and recycled using renewable energy Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological andor industrial cradle to cradle cycles
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
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Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
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Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
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Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
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6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
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APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
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APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
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APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
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APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
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Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
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APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
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APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 42
Because the SPC definition has gained some profile among industry in the United States and Canadaits adoption might enable greater alignment in the North American marketplace Examples of thisincreasing momentum include the US Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) recentrecommendation to its membership to adopt SPCrsquos approach to sustainable packaging TheirCanadian counterpart ndash Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) ndash is also consideringendorsing SPCrsquos approach Also the Packaging Association of Canada (PAC) signed a partnershipagreement with SPC this past year to develop a sustainable packaging training curriculum based onthe SPC Guidelines and definition And finally stakeholders noted that adoption of the SPCdefinition might provide greater continuity with the SPC guidelines (also recommended to CCMEsee ldquoGuidelinesrdquo section below)
The SPC definition like the SPA definition does define sustainable packaging in terms of how itperforms across the life cycle and it also clearly addresses the function and purpose of packaging Itwas not chosen originally only because it has two slightly more prescriptive elements (ie ldquosourcedmanufactured transported and recycled using renewable energyrdquo and ldquomaximising the use ofrenewable or recycled source materialsrdquo) which may not be the most desirable attributes to optimisefor every product or packaging system However these two elements do not take away from the factthat the SPC definition is technically strong and effective If CCME elects to propose this definitionto its stakeholders it may choose to note that each element in the SPC definition be taken asdirectional as opposed to prescriptive (the section ldquoContext for Sustainable Packagingrdquo providesexamples illustrating this point)
Guidelines
Based on the research it is recommended that CCME refrain from developing new guidelines Theinventory profiles two existing packaging guidelines that address the full life cycle of packagingoffer a range of ideas and solutions for improving different types of packaging and are based on inputfrom multiple stakeholders In particular the Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging created bythe SPC have a North American focus and are well organised Therefore it is recommended thatCCME consider formally reviewing and subsequently endorsing37 the SPCrsquos guidelines The EPAparticipated in the development of the SPC guidelines Also the packaging industry in Canadaalready has some level of collaboration with SPC (eg the sustainable packaging curriculumlaunched by PAC and SPC) With this approach CCME could more quickly put itself in a facilitationrole by building on what exists and collaborating with governments and organisations that havealready raised the bar for sustainable packaging instead of spending resources reinventing the wheelOf course this must be part of the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCMEdevelops
Writing a new set of guidelines may do little to advance sustainable packaging in Canada as it wouldduplicate existing efforts and most likely be costly and slow (to allow for proper consultation) andwould thus fail to keep up with the current swell of interest in packaging A lsquomade in Canadarsquo set ofguidelines and tools may do less to stimulate more sustainable packaging than building on what hasbeen created to date and collaborating internationally to go further This approach reflects the fact thatmany organizations and players in the packaging value chain operate on a global scale
Feedback from stakeholder participants at the workshop and through the web consultation indicatedthat there was support for further review and potential adoption of the SPC Guidelines Several
37 It is recommended CCME approach SPC to ask about feasibility of and options for endorsing the SPC Design Guidelinesfor Sustainable Packaging
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 46
6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 47
APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
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Five Winds International 48
APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 49
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 51
APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
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Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 53
APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 43
indicated they were a great start at providing direction and ideas but cautioned that Guidelines ontheir own may do little to stimulate concrete action among all players in the industry Stakeholdersindicated that a key role for CCME may be to build in targets timelines incentives and disincentivesto ldquoadd teethrdquo or strengthen such Guidelines were they to be promoted to packaging designers brandowners retailers etc A few stakeholders in the web consultation highlighted that CCME shouldensure adequate focus on packaging reduction and reuse
Other Ideas for CCME
The inventory of eleven sustainable packaging initiatives and two non-packaging initiatives containedin this report illustrates there are a number of existing guidelines and tools that CCME can build uponto promote more sustainable packaging in Canada Existing efforts include multi-stakeholderinitiatives (Sustainable Packaging Coalition Sustainable Packaging Alliance) individual companytools and processes (JampJ BASF Wal-Mart and SCJohnson) government lead or initiated programsand regulations (EU Packaging Directive UK Waste amp Resources Action Programme) as well asassociation level codes of practices (Incpen) A key challenge is to sort through the existingguidance processes and tools to determine where CCME can add value
In lieu of presenting a new set of guidelines it is proposed that CCME endorse an existing set ofguidelines for sustainable packaging and consider an additional set of ideas and actions to support itsmandate The purpose of presenting these additional ideas is to showcase lessons learned from theinventory illustrate some of the innovative approaches others have taken to support their ownsustainable packaging goals and fill some existing gaps The purpose is not for CCME to adopt andapply these ideas immediately as written primarily because they have been developed in absence ofany CCME strategy or action plan for packaging Only as such a strategy is established will it bevaluable to evaluate each of these ideas (eg if the strategy has a strong regulatory component or isentirely voluntary some of the ideas presented will have more or less relevance)
Consensus from stakeholders at the workshop and over the web also revealed that the additional ideasfor promoting more sustainable packaging design and consumption in Canada proposed in this reportcan only be seriously considered once the CCME has established an overarching sense of purposeultimately some clarity on its role in promoting sustainable packaging in Canada (Supporting Ideanumber 2 as suggested below)
The ideas presented and the highlights drawn from the inventory include
1 Creating an online meta-tool for sustainable packaging (in context of clearly stated rolefor CCME in promoting sustainable packaging including any target or directions asarticulated in ldquoRole for CCMErdquo above)
2 Articulating the role of each player in the product and packaging system ndash from materialproviders to consumers to end-of-life managers
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading4 Recommending technical tools5 Developing a business decision process for packaging manufacturers that have not
created one6 Providing incentives and measuring change
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 46
6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 47
APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 48
APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 49
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 51
APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 53
APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 44
1 Creating an online meta-tool Create a simple motivating elegantly designed online38 lsquometa-toolrsquo to serve as a path finder
through the wealth of guidelines tools and best practice case studies available It will be important to identify and point out which tools are suitable for the different actors
along the packaging value chain (consumers packaging technologists material suppliersetc)
The site could provide a common space for finding information reading about new designsand exchanging ideas
To give context for the meta-tool CCME would articulate its strategy on packaging (and anytargets) in order to provide direction for provincial governments industry consumers andother stakeholders
2 Articulating the role of each player To help each person in the value chain understand their role and help them to find supporting
information create a graphic of actors along the productpackaging system with simpleengaging statements on the role everyone plays ndash from material providers to consumers toend-of-life managers
In future advertise and promote the site to all types of people Encourage them to use the siteby making case studies and tools on the site searchable according to user (as noted soconsumers material suppliers technologists can each find tools most suitable tools to them)
materialsuppliers
recyclers
converters fillersbrandowners retailers consumers
end-of-lifehandlers(municipalities)
governments
Industry associations
NGOs research bodies
Role of consumers
bull Avoid unnecessary packaging
bull Re-use some packaging
bull Clean and sort discarded packaging
bull Know what amp where to recycle in your community
bull etchellip
3 Raising awareness of what is possible (best practices) amp who is leading
On the website point packaging professionals to the SPC Guidelines as a clear andcomprehensive guide to innovating new sustainable product and packaging solutionsConnect with SPC to formalize CCMErsquos support of these Guidelines (eg a formal letter ofendorsement)
Point packaging professionals and consumers to WRAPrsquos concept room and internationalpackaging database as a way to inspire new ideas and solutions Connect with WRAP toformalize CCMErsquos reference to its case studies and reports
Create direct links to the 17 Canadian packaging examples showcased in an onlinephotographic database from WRAPrsquos 2005 International Packaging Study In future use this
38 WRAP reports it receives positive feedback from designers and states that online tools make it easy to receive feedbackand to update guidance accordingly
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 46
6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 47
APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 48
APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 49
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 51
APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 53
APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 45
space to create and showcase new leading examples from Canadian material providersmanufacturers and retailers In future also consider awards competitions and formalrecognition (eg criteria to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions)
Consider supporting at some level the SPC and PAC sustainable packaging curriculum (egfinancial support promotional support)
In future list packaging legislative requirements from select jurisdictions around the worldto illustrate the variety of packaging solutions being promoted (Belgium Germany theNetherlands Australia)
Create ldquoMaterial Profilesrdquo in collaboration with material associations The profiles wouldhelp educate decision makers on the characteristics of different materials this will help toraise the level of discourse from single attribute comparisons to multi-attribute decisionmaking for each unique product system
4 Recommending technical tools Tools coming online
o In future refer packaging professionals to forthcoming packaging tools For examplethe PAC packaging rating tool may be of interest once it is completed Informationon the PAC Tool was not released at time of writing but it is recommend CCMEcontact PAC for details Another example is the SPC MERGE Tool ndash the newMERGE Tool was also not yet released at time of writing
Tools available todayo It is currently possible to refer packaging professionals to the SPA PIQET Tool
Connect with SPA to formalize CCMErsquos reference to PIQETo Consider leading a pilot study on the use of a particular tool to promote business
integration of sustainable packaging decisions For example a pilot on the PIQETtool (eg CCME could work with 5 companies to purchase PIQET licenses39 for a 1year pilot study The companies commit to evaluate three of their existing packagesto establish their own baseline of performance andor to use PIQET in thedevelopment of 3 new packages over the year Companies would track changeagainst the baseline and report to CCME on effectiveness of the tool If effectivenext steps could include collaboration with SPA to make the PIQET data specific toCanada If the tool is not effective next steps could include supporting companies tocreate their own internal tools or creation of a new tool etc based on lessonslearned) Such a pilot could also be conducted in collaboration with owners of theother tools once available (PAC SPC)
5 Developing a business decision framework for packaging designersengineers and specification writers (eg retailers)
Describe why it is valuable to have a process that brings new ideas (from guidancedocuments and case studies) into business decisions and that because decisions are ultimatelybased on values describe why it is important for companies to create their own process
Develop an example process that companies can adapt and adopt Tools from SCJ BASFand JampJ can be used as illustrative examples of how other companies have taken designguidelines and integrated those into their own unique business culture core values anddecision making processes
39 The cost of an annual license and training for PIQET is based on the companyrsquos annual revenue A company with $25-50million AUD would pay $5000 Discounts are offered for multi-year subscriptions
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 46
6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 47
APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 48
APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 49
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 51
APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 53
APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 46
6 Providing incentives and measuring change Establish incentives and disincentives for each actor that will both reward leaders and raise
the minimum performance Not only does each actor need to understand their roles (2above) but they also need to have reasons to act This will be strongly linked to the Canada-wide Strategy on Sustainable Packaging that CCME is developing
Set activity-based measures that are bottom-up non-prescriptive and flexible to accommodatedivergent solutions
Indicators of uptake could include monitoring the website ndash number of visits length ofvisits navigation pathways (indicates what people are most interested in enables settingpriorities) number of times tools were downloaded or requested number of new links addedfrom the website to new industry programs no of participants in web-based training on thesite and what it offers no of case studies submitted by industry
Consider creating key metrics (eg does company have a design-for-environment processOn what percentage of products is it used Has company set a baseline Is progress againstthe baseline tracked and reported etc) Consider formal recognition of companies thatperform well (eg metrics to denote ldquoGoldrdquo ldquoSilverrdquo and ldquoBronzerdquo packaging solutions suchas those used to recognize more sustainable buildings (LEED) carpets (NSF 140) andelectronics (EPEAT)) Consider also a reporting function for companies to report on thewebsite against key metrics and thus obtain recognition for their efforts (may include periodthird-party verification as per the EPEAT model)
Over time it would be valuable to add new case studies link to new industry association programsannounce new retailer goals reference any future Provincial and Federal targets flag newly availablelife cycle data or new tools
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 47
APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 48
APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 49
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 51
APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 53
APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 47
APPENDIX 1 MERGE METRICS AND APPLICABLE STAGES
OF TYPICAL PRODUCT LIFECYCLE
LifecycleStage
Rawmaterials
acquisition
Rawmaterials
processingManufacture Distribution Use Recycling Disposal
Packagingresourceconsumption
X X X
Packagingenergyconsumption
X X X
Virginmaterialscontent
X X X X X
Non-recyclablematerialscontent
X X X X X
Packagingbad actors X X X
Packaginggreenhousegases
X X X X X X
Palletinefficiency X
Formulation Metrics
Dispersivity X X X XVOCcontent X X X X
Bad actorchemicals X X X X
Missing data X X X XAcuteecologicalhazard
X X X X
Chronicecologicalhazard
X X X X
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 48
APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 49
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 51
APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 53
APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 48
APPENDIX 2 SCJ GREENLISTTM PACKAGING CRITERIA FOR SPECIFIC MATERIALS
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 49
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 51
APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 53
APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 49
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 51
APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 53
APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 50
APPENDIX 3 PERSPECTIVE OF CORPORATE USERS OF
SCJrsquoS GREENLIST
The user perspectives on the strengths and challenges of SCJrsquos Greenlist approach were compiledthrough conversations with representatives of the following potential corporate users
Abbott Acco Products Armstrong World Products Bristol-Myers Squibb (Germany) CCNJ Church and Dwight Clorox Codelco Colgate Palmolive Coors CRI (Carpet and Rug Institute) CSPA(Consumer Specialty Products Association) DuPont US Cleaning and Disinfection Group ECOLAB Georgia Pacific GMA HP (Hewlett-Packard) Interface Canada JohnsonDiversey Keckitt-Benckeiser Kraft LANL MeadWestvaco PepsiCo Pfizer Poly America Poly-Flew REI Rustoleum Shering-Plough Sherwin Williams Stepan
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 51
APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 53
APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 51
APPENDIX 4 FURTHER REQUIREMENTS OF THE EUROPEAN
DIRECTIVE 9462EC ON PACKAGING AND PACKAGING
WASTE
The following is a summary of requirements under the European Directive 9462EC40
1 Requirements specific to the manufacturing and composition of packaging Packaging shall be so manufactured that the packaging volume and weight be limited to the
minimum adequate amount to maintain the necessary level of safety hygiene and acceptancefor the packed product and for the consumer
Packaging shall be designed produced and commercialised in such a way as to permit itsreuse or recovery including recycling and to minimise its impact on the environment whenpackaging waste or residues from packaging waste management operations are disposed ofand
Packaging shall be so manufactured that the presence of noxious and other hazardoussubstances and materials as constituents of the packaging material or of any of the packagingcomponents is minimised with regard to their presence in emissions ash or leachate whenpackaging or residues from management operations or packaging waste are incinerated orlandfilled
2 Requirements specific to reusable packagingThe following requirements must be simultaneously satisfied the physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall enable a number of trips or
rotations in normally predictable conditions of use possibility of processing the used packaging in order to meet health and safety requirements
for the workforce fulfill the requirements specific to recoverable packaging when the packaging is no longer
reused and thus becomes waste
3 Requirements specific to the recoverable nature of packaging
(a) Packaging recoverable in the form of material recycling
Packaging must be manufactured in such a way as to enable the recycling of a certain percentage byweight of the materials used into the manufacture of marketable products in compliance with currentstandards in the Community The establishment of this percentage may vary depending on the type ofmaterial of which the packaging is composed
(b) Packaging recoverable in the form of energy recovery
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of energy recovery shall have a minimum inferiorcalorific value to allow optimisation of energy recovery
40 Guide to successful packaging design for use in Europe Summary by Ursula Tischner econcept Cologne 22 November2004
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 53
APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 52
(c) Packaging recoverable in the form of composting
Packaging waste processed for the purpose of composting shall be of such a biodegradable nature thatit should not hinder the separate collection and the composting process or activity into which it isintroduced
(d) Biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable packaging waste shall be of such a nature that it is capable of undergoing physicalchemical thermal or biological decomposition such that most of the finished compost ultimatelydecomposes into carbon dioxide biomass and water
The Directive also contains a legal requirement that The aggregated concentration of cadmium hexavalent chromium (chrome IV) lead and
mercury shall be below stated limits
Concentration levels of regulated metals (heavy metals) present in packaging(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) and regulation 7 below no person who is a responsible personshall place on the market packaging if
a) on or after 30th June 1998 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 600 ppm
b) on or after 30th June 1999 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 250 ppm
c) on or after 30th June 2001 the sum of the concentration levels of regulated metals either inthe packaging or in any of its packaging components exceeds 100 ppm
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to packaging which is made entirely of lead crystal glass asdefined in Directive 69493EEC
(3) The concentration levels of regulated metals in paragraph (1) above shall not applya) on or before 4th March 2009 to plastic crates or plastic pallets used in product loops which
are in a closed and controlled chain provided the requirements set out in Schedule II to theseRegulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
b) on or before 30th June 2006 to glass packaging provided the requirements set out inSchedule III to these Regulations are complied with in relation to that packaging
For the full directive please seehttpeuropaeuintcommenvironmentwastepackaging_indexhtm
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 53
APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 53
APPENDIX 5 RESULTS OF BASF ECO-EFFICIENCY
ANALYSIS
Results of Eco-Efficiency Analysis Mineral Water Packaging
In an eco-efficiency analysis various bottling alternatives for carbonated mineral water were compared The
customer benefit involved consumption of 1000 l mineral water at a distance of 300 km from the bottling plant
The following packaging alternatives were considered
2 x 5 l Office Line (disposable)
6 x 15 l PET (disposable)
12 x 07 l glass bottle (reusable) and
12 x 1 l drinking carton (disposable)
The first alternative is a novel packaging method for office use whereas the remaining options are conventional
containers
The eco-efficiency portfolio (Fig 1) shows the environmental and economic differences of the various
alternatives The Office Line is the most eco-efficient packaging type for this customer benefit
Fig 1 Eco-efficiency of mineral water packaging alternatives
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 54
The 07 l glass bottle results in the lowest the drink carton in the highest life cycle costs The Office Line and the
15 l PET bottle have the lowest environmental impacts (Fig 2)
Fig 2 Ecological Fingerprint
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 55
APPENDIX 6 SOCIAL INDICATORS INCLUDED IN BASFrsquoSSEEBALANCEreg TOOL
In BASFrsquos SEEbalancereg Tool societal impacts are grouped into five stakeholder categoriesemployees international community future generations consumers and local amp nationalcommunity41
41 BASF SEEBalance Tool wwwcorporatebasfcomensustainabilityoekoeffizienzseebalancehtmid=EMYVlBDlLbcp06N
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 56
Aggregation from the Indicators to the SEECubereg42
42 Using the Eco-Efficiency Analysis and SEEbalance in the Sustainability Assessment of Products and Processes Presentation delivered by Peter Saling of BASF at 4 th AnnualForum for Sustainability May 8-10 Leipzig
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 57
APPENDIX 7 PIQET EXAMPLE RESULTS43
Defining the packaging system in PIQET (above)
43 Images and captions provided by Sustainable Packaging Alliance wwwsustainablepackorg PIQETcopy Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool is an initiativeof Victoria University RMIT University and Birubi Innovation
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 58
Selecting types of packaging components and selecting material type in PIQET (above)
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 59
PIQET results for one packaging scenario (above) in terms of global warming due to total and different levels of a packaging scenario (Notes Allpositive results are impacts and all negative results are benefits Only the lsquoTotalrsquo includes transport and filling) Other environmental categoriesreported in PIQET beyond global warming include Cumulative Energy Demand (MJ LHV) Photochemical Oxidation (kg C2H2 eq) Water Use(kL H20) Solid Waste (kg) Land Use (HA) and Carcinogens (DALY) as well as packaging specific indicators (eg product to packaging ratioand recyclability) among others
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 60
Relative impact of selected packaging scenarios on five equal weighted indicators The closer to the centre lesser is the impact
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532
Sustainable Packaging Inventory CCME EPRTG
Five Winds International 61
APPENDIX 8 EPEAT PRODUCT RANKINGS amp SEARCH FEATURE
EPEAT Registered Products Search Tool
Product
Total
Desktops 12 70 3 85
Integrated Systems 4 3 0 7
Monitors 19 153 0 172
Notebooks 36 231 1 268
Totals 71 457 4 532