PFFC - September 2007 - (Page 35)

uFor more on the Wal-Mart scorecard, see p20 and p32. GREEN CONVERTING members of the Sustainable Packaging Steering The scorecard also contains a requirement Committee for Wal-Mart’s scorecard program, that consumer product companies can’t include which recommends changes to the scorecard recyclability in their scorecard calculations that more properly reflect the realities of the unless more than 50% of municipalities in the packaging marketplace. country recycle a particular material, which most “Our job on the don’t. Companies steering committee is to are encouraged Converters have to be review and provide dito convince local rection and feedback to municipalities to prepared to answer their Wal-Mart about various join with the flexible changes or proposals that packaging industry customers’ questions.— come up,” explains Brian to implement such O’Banion, VP of the programs, but a Marla Donahue, Flexible FBA. “They’re building similar effort in alliances, and we support California in the early Packaging Assn. that, all in an effort to ’90s failed because have sufficient objective local government data that they can incordidn’t receive what porate into the scorecard measures.” they felt was the necessary financial support. “It’s got to be simple, direct, and understandThe association executives agree there has able,” says Van de Water of the scorecard. “Thus been a willingness on Wal-Mart’s part to accept guidance from industry groups to improve far, we’ve seen a willingness on the part of Walthe scorecard completion process. However, Mart to listen to arguments regarding good science, and they’ve been flexible in that regard, converters and their customers should proceed which frankly was not expected. I think, to their with the expectation that the scorecard will be credit, they are resolute in pursuing their goals, but implemented by the deadline, at least in some they have listened and engaged all of their stakeform, association executives agree. To do otherholders, including non-governmental organizations wise would be foolhearty, although Wal-Mart that can’t later detract from it because they had an has not assured suppliers that those receiving a opportunity to shape it.” higher score would be guaranteed shelf space, or that those scoring lower or who do not particiKeeping Score pate would definitely be denied. The FPA’s Donahue notes that completing the “A lot of them are waiting for it to fall apart,” scorecard is complicated in some areas, such as says Donahue, “but it’s not going to fail totally. I specifying the primary packaging material. She don’t know what it’s going to look like February 1, notes, for example, that the flexible packaging for nobody really does, but our converters have to be beef jerky, one of Wal-Mart’s most popular items, prepared to answer their customers’ questions.” is composed of as many as seven different layers of “I think anybody who’s sitting back and says, raw materials, yet the scorecard only permits the ‘We’ll wait and see,’ is making a huge error, beconsumer product companies to list the “primary” cause it will only be stronger as a criteria for the selection of vendors going forward,” adds Van de packaging material. Therefore, only the highestWater. “Even if Wal-Mart stops, the momentum weight substrate can be reported, even though it behind this will continue, and the ripple effects comprises just a fraction of the total package. will be with us for generations.” “I think when Wal-Mart, working with some environmental groups, came up with the concept of the scorecard, they thought it was going to be uGet Going pretty straightforward and fairly easy to input For more information on Wal-Mart’s packaging scorecard, data,” says Donahue. “So, Wal-Mart has really visit our website at www.pffc-online.com. been struggling with how [the flexible packaging industry] can respond to the scorecard in that they More resources are available from the following organizations: came up with what they thought was a simple sou100% Recycled Paperboard Alliance | www.rpa100.com lution, which was to use the predominant material. uAluminum Assn. | www.aluminum.org But a lot of flexible is not commodity material.” For its part, the AFPA is working to make sure uAmerican Chemistry Council | www.americanchemistry.com uAmerican Forest & Paper Assn. | www.afandpa.org that “renewability” receives proper “weighting” in the uFibre Box Assn. | www.fibrebox.org scorecard, since its members “believe that renewabiluFlexible Packaging Assn. | www.flexpack.org ity is just as important as recyclability” when considuPaperboard Packaging Council | www.ppcnet.org ering the environmental impact of raw materials, says uSociety of the Plastics Industry | www.plasticsindustry.org Cathy Foley, VP of paper for AFPA. “That’s one of uSustainable Packaging Coalition | www.sustainablepackaging.org the issues that we’ve been working on with them to uWal-Mart | www.walmartfacts.com incorporate, and they’ve been very open to it.” WWW.PFFC-ONLINE.COM SEPTEMBER 2007 | 35 http://www.pffc-online.com http://www.rpa100.com http://www.aluminum.org http://www.americanchemistry.com http://www.afandpa.org http://www.fibrebox.org http://www.flexpack.org http://www.ppcnet.org http://www.plasticsindustry.org http://www.sustainablepackaging.org http://www.walmartfacts.com http://WWW.PFFC-ONLINE.COM

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of PFFC - September 2007

Table of Contents First Glance From the Editor Calendar of Events Web Lines Process Management News Clips Narrow Web & Label Reporter Narrow Web & Label What’s New Products Narrow Web Sustainability: Going Green? What's the Score with Wal-Mart's Scorecard? Straight Talk From Your Trade Associations Learn 5 Key Elements to Creating Cost-Effective and Eco-Conscious Packaging Install Energy-Efficient Light Fixtures and Reap the Environmental Benefits People, Profit, Planet: How to Balance the Impact of a Triple-bottom-line Philosophy Show Preview What’s New Products Services Directory Classified Marketplace Equipment Buyers & Sellers Advertisers Index Experience Speaks

PFFC - September 2007

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