Innovative Elimination
Description
Packaging that serves an essential function – and so cannot be eliminated through direct elimination – can often be indirectly eliminated by deploying innovative solutions to achieve the required function in a new way, without unintended consequences. There are many innovative ways to provide essential packaging functionalities, including:
- Rethinking the product: such as switching from liquid to bar shampoo (1).
- Rethinking how the function is provided: such as packaging-free solutions for labeling and tamper evidence (see solutions under “case studies” below), grouping multi-buys together using Glue Dots or sticker bands instead of packaging wraps, and extending the shelf life of perishables using nebulization, supply chain management, or edible coatings.
- Sourcing goods locally: to reduce packaging requirements for transport and protection (1).
- Replacing sales of single-use products with durable products: (such as water filtration systems instead of bottled water or long-life instead of disposable cutlery and tableware). Companies may incur revenue losses with these solutions, but other revenue streams can often be generated, including monthly leasing fees for durable products or water filtration services, upselling, and attracting a new customer base and/or increasing customer loyalty.
At a glance
Key benefits:
- Saved in-store and transport costs: Edible coatings on fresh produce can drive down food waste, costs, and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG); electricity can be saved by replacing more costly and energy-intensive refrigeration with nebulization; and redesigned products (such as bar shampoo instead of liquid) can save packaging costs, transport, storage, space, and packaging material (1).
- Enhanced consumer convenience: Innovations can improve the user experience by eliminating the need to unwrap or measure single-serve products, easing use on-the-go (e.g., dissolvable films on laundry tabs), and eliminating the need to dispose of packaging (e.g., locking mechanisms instead of tear-off seals on jars and bottles).
- Consumer savings: Users can save money as durable products are often cheaper per usage than the single-use product.
- Reduced plastic consumption: Eliminating the need for single-use products can greatly reduce plastic consumption and all its associated externalities. For example, reusable bottles reduce plastic mass and GHG emissions by 97%; reusable plates reduce plastic mass and GHG emissions by 52% (see Method Appendix for details).
- Enhanced packaging functionality: Some elimination innovations can improve product performance or customer experience compared to plastic packaging, for example by improving the shelf life, overall appearance, or freshness, or by introducing new and improved product lines. Similarly, when incorporating multiple packaging components and units into a single, more functional, simple packaging (such as removing a straw and making a carton “ready-to-drink”), the functionality of the packaging can be improved (3).
- Ensure that innovative elimination solutions can be integrated into existing supply chains and do not contaminate recycling or composting streams at end of life. Be mindful that an innovative elimination effort does not unintentionally become a material substitution effort (3).
- Identify marketing challenges that can be solved by innovative technologies. For example, new solutions to the challenge of communicating without a label include product recognition tools integrated in apps, which enable users to scan products and receive the information they would usually find on a physical label (e.g., Lush Labs App).
Where to start
Many innovative elimination opportunities are available for fresh food, beverages, and personal care products, including but not limited to (1):
- Rethinking packaging that serves functions other than product protection (e.g., labeling, tamper evidence).
- Redesigning some liquid products as solid ones to make packaging redundant (e.g., shampoo bars instead of liquid shampoo).
- Coating products with edible or dissolvable packaging to extend their shelf life and/or reduce food waste without requiring so much packaging.
- Replacing disposable plastic cutlery, stirrers, straws, plastic plates, and bowls that are designed to be used once with reusable options where possible. In particular, small disposable items such as straws are high leakage products that are often found littered on beaches (3). Where reusable options are offered, companies should take steps to ensure that the items are actually reused by consumers in practice. Options include operating or engaging reusable systems that are easy to interact with and seamless to use, for example by installing return points and facilities for washing reusable items, offering rental services for reusable picnic/party tableware, or introducing incentives that encourage consumers to change their behavior and carry reusable items with them (4).
- Reusable water bottles and durable products such as water filters can replace single-use bottles. These alternatives sometimes increase customer loyalty by replacing single transactions with a long-term consumer relationship.
Current applicability per plastic type
Note: High in this instance implies the solution is highly applicable to the plastic type. Medium indicates potential to apply this solution to the relevant plastic type in some cases. Low implies major barriers and, generally speaking, this solution cannot be used in conjunction with the plastic type.
Solutions. and case studies
Many examples of successful reuse programs for plastic packaging are currently from outside the U.S. However, more U.S. case studies are emerging and will be included in the future. The following are used for general information and illustrative purposes and do not reflect a preference of or an endorsement by The Recycling Partnership or our affiliates or vendors.
- Apeel: An edible coating made from plant material that extends the shelf life of fresh fruit and vegetables, which was designated by the FDA as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) (1).
- Mori: An edible coating made from natural silk that slows down the spoiling process of fruit, vegetables, meat, and seafood, which was self-designated as GRAS in the US and approved for consumption in Japan (1).
- Hazel Technologies: These solutions include a carton insert and a berry flat insert that distribute ethylene inhibitors to fruits in order to slow down the aging process. This increases the shelf life and quality of the fruit and reduces waste and spoilage, while reducing the need for the plastic packaging that usually serves this function. (Link)
- Nebulization from ARECO: An advanced fog (or nebulization) technology for food (vegetables, fruit, fish, cheese, meat, etc.) using micro-droplets of water to maintain humidity and extend shelf life and freshness without wetting the products, therefore reducing the need for packaging (1).
- Stix Fresh: A sticker for fresh fruit that can add an extra 14 days of freshness. Using natural plant compounds, the sticker creates a protective layer and slows the ripening process by replicating the antimicrobial compounds that plants use to protect themselves against post-harvest diseases. (Link)
- MonoSol, LLC, a Kuraray division: Dissolvable films with multiple applications, ranging from home and personal care applications (e.g., detergent pouches, household and personal care refills) to food applications (e.g., single-serve packets of nutrition supplements, instant coffee, pre-measured spices for caterers and restaurants) (1).
- Ooho from NOTPLA: Edible and home compostable “blobs” made from seaweed that are used for beverages, including drinking water, and condiments, such as takeaway sauces (1).
- Twist-Loc from Charpak: A tear-off free plastic container with a locking mechanism between the container and the lid that provides tamper evidence while eliminating the need for tear-off plastic seals (1).
- Aqua Life from Danone: A label-free embossed water bottle eliminates the label and reduces the amount of packaging components required. The barcode that was on the label has been integrated into the cap (1).
- ICA: Laser-engraved labels etched directly onto fruit and vegetables, eliminating the need for either plastic wrapping or sticker labels. Only the pigment on the outer skin is changed, without affecting the produce itself. The laser label has been used on organic avocados, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, kiwifruit, ginger, and watermelons (1).
- Snap Pack from Carlsberg: Innovative glue technology applies small glue dots that allow four, six, or eight aluminum cans to be glued together (1).
- Lush Cosmetics: Solid personal care products for the hair, body, fragrance, oral, and beauty categories that require less packaging than liquid and other alternatives (1).
- Infarm: In-store vegetable farms that allow the hyper-local production of produce, such as herbs and leafy greens, grown in-store in smart, modular farms. Infarm installs the farms and then remotely controls and monitors each one through a cloud-based platform (1).
Reports and References
(1) Ellen MacArthur Foundation: Upstream Innovation. A guide to packaging solutions. (Link)
(2) European Economic and Social Committee: Recycling food packaging & food waste in plastics revolution. (Link)
(3) WRAP (2019): Eliminating Problem Plastics. (Link)
(4) Closed Loop Partners, IDEO: Bringing Reusable Packaging Systems to Life. Lessons learned from Testing Reusable Cups. (Link)
