Pack news of the week: eco-friendly packaging and sustainability

Eco award-winning Cap-it multipack

A jury of industry experts at the 66th annual PPC National Paperboard Packaging Competition chose Cap-it, the eco-friendly paperboard multipack from Graphic Packaging International, Inc. (http://www.graphicpkg.com/), as the paperboard package with the most positive impact on product differentiation, merchandising, and sustainability among the 87 competitive entries.

The Cap-It design was introduced in 2008 as a six-pack carrier for 24-oz Pepsi beverage products bottled by Alabama-based Buffalo Rock. The Cap-it multipack provides structural integrity, billboard and portability while out-performing plastic solutions like rings and shrink film in sustainability and supply chain economics including distribution and warehousing.

Microsoft Reduces Windows 7 Packaging

High-tech companies are joining the ranks of leading food companies and retailers in developing new ways to reduce their products’ packaging. Microsoft recently announced that the packaging for the new Windows 7 operating system will deliver a simpler, clean design that is easy to open and reduces waste.

According to the Microsoft blog, the Windows 7 packaging has been reduced to three pieces: the plastic case, paper sleeve and a “Getting Started Guide.” The packaging also delivers a 37 percent weight reduction and the econometrics score has improved by 50 percent over its predecessor. In addition, the plastic case is recyclable and opens easier like a standard DVD case with a single seal at the top of the case.

Microsoft is also promoting the use of digital downloads as a way to reduce packaging and cut carbon emissions.

New Material Made From Paper Sludge Could Replace Plastic Packaging
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Recycling paper to obtain more paper or cardboard has been a common process for many years. However, the production of a new, highly resistant, versatile and environmentally friendly material from the unwanted waste of this process is a completely new idea. This has been achieved by Margarita Calafell, a researcher at the UPC’s Terrassa Campus who runs the Enzyme Catalysis Laboratory of the UPC’s Engineering and Biotechnology (ENGIBIO) research group.

This researcher has devised a new biotechnology method that she has used to modify the chemical and structural properties of the cellulose materials that are left over from the paper recycling process. Thus, she has created a new compact, mouldable, fire resistant, impermeable, strong, porous material that could, in many cases, replace materials that are not environmentally friendly or that are more expensive, such as plastics, wood derivatives or rubber. This is achieved in the most productive way possible, as each kilogram of paper produces a kilogram of the new material, which has numerous applications in various industry and production sectors.

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