Posted by Rita Mu
US-based sustainable packaging group, GreenBlue, has released a suite of reports that provide technical guidance on designing packaging to be compatible with common recovery methods.
The new reports detail common recovery challenges and barriers for aluminium, steel, glass and paper packaging. They also provide practical instructions on how attachments, inks, coatings, and colorants affect recyclability and compostability.
The guidelines in the reports have been put together by GreenBlue’s Closing the Loop research project—funded by the US California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery and GreenBlue’s Sustainable Packaging Coalition.
“One of the challenges we see in creating closed loop systems for packaging is the lack of coordination between packaging design and packaging recovery,” GreenBlue Project Manager Liz Shoch said.
“The most important leverage point in a package’s recyclability is during the design phase. These guidelines help packaging designers understand the various end-of-life options so they can design accordingly.”
The guidelines in the reports were inspired by the Association of Postconsumer Plastic Recyclers Design for Recyclability Guidelines, says GreenBlue.
The reports are free and available for download on GreenBlue’s website.
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