Plastic Industry Today

Packaging is cheap and disposable, right?

Not so today. Most companies, large and small, have an outlook on the environment and many public owned corporations are being encouraged by their Customers, shareholders, government and pressure groups to be 'greener' or more environmentally responsible.

Reducing packaging and waste is often high on the corporate agenda and plays a key part in a company's environmental impact. To save on packaging, simply remember the 4 R's below, reduce, reuse, recycle and replace, and this will help you to make progress on reducing your packaging impact and meeting your corporate responsibility needs:

Remember the Packaging 4 R's

• Reduce packaging ' the obvious step. Initially, review the overall weight or bulk of packaging used. See if you can redesign a product to use less packaging e.g. increasing the case count from 6 to 12 would use half as many boxes. Although these would be bigger the packaging weight would not increase proportionately.
     
• Reuse packaging ' whether it's a cardboard box or a jiffy mailing bag, many packaging supplies can be reused. Not only is this environmentally preferable, it saves you money too. The key to a successful reuse policy is in educating goods-in staff to open packaging carefully. Designate a suitable packaging storage area and then recycling instead of using new packaging materials.
  
  
• Recycle packaging ' most people automatically think of recycling when it comes to corporate environmental policy and many companies have office paper recycling schemes. However, recycling packaging still uses energy. Reducing and reusing packaging are better for the environment, and should be prioritised.
  
  
• Replace packaging ' if essential, you may still be able to make improvements in your choice of packaging materials. Generally, plastic is more difficult to reuse and recycle, due to local facilities being weighted towards paper, cardboard and glass. Not all plastics are accepted at recycling centres either. Paper and cardboard packaging can also be easily made from recycled paper pulp, or sustainable sources. If you want to prevent your packaging material from ending up in land fill, review your options, especially regarding plastics. E.g. a single sheet, cardboard packaging insert for a box might replace a plastic vacuum formed tray.

Whilst Davpack is a major UK packaging materials supplier, we believe that companies and individuals should make informed choices about the packaging products they use. If we all remember the 4 R's, the impact of packaging waste could be reduced.

For more information about packaging supplies or to buy packaging online, why not visit the Davpack online superstore, or call 01332 821 200 and speak to one of our experts'....we supply UK packaging materials fast and have a wide range in stock, so you can make the right choice.

About the Author:

Kevin Thomas works for Davpack, a uk packaging supplier. Their friendly staff are waiting to help you choose the right packaging for your business. Text and content © Copyright of Davenport Paper Co. Ltd 2009