inStorebuyer - September 2011 - 44

foodsafety
EXPERT ADVICE ON HANDLING FOOD

packaging companies are implementing and promoting the sustainable and practical elements of their products almost as much as their performance. Labeling the paper wrap as “green” and calling it a day doesn’t cut it anymore. As consumers have become increasingly eco-savvy, many food packaging companies have adopted the reuse, reduce, recycle mantra. For instance, form-fitting packaging reduces the unnecessary use of materials. Companies like FC Meyer Packaging and Robbie have adopted this practice. Prioritizing material utilization, structural design, paperboard grade and operational efficiency of their products, they have managed to diminish their spatial and material waste. Rather than design bulky and impractical packages, Robbie manufactures the Hot H N Handy Pouch which cuts back on unnecessary cu cu Plastic packaging is in the streamsolid waste. The company so so l. Pol yol efin claims that in comparison cl cl lini ng pro ces s as wel ng used to reto rigid containers, these to shrink wrap films are bei form-fitting pouches rely fo fo g materials. duce unnecessary labelin on 77% less packaging o e to Print-friendly, polyolefin film is abl material. Ultimately, these m t integrate the advertising of a produc efficiencies decrease product e ts directly with its packaging. This limi shipping needs and lower s g the unnecessary usage of labelin CO2 emissions. C o, The environmental inserts and production waste. Als al optimizes composition of the material c the shrink wrap materi is i also becoming a pressing roves shipping space usage, which imp concern for manufacturers c efficiencies. “Natural” i a marketing term that N t l” is k is undefined and loosely regulated by the FDA. With that in mind, actor Nicholas Cage’s hairline is as natural as your community garden. There is something suspicious about that statement. Greenwashing, the deceptive act of misleading consumers about a company’s environmental practices and ideals, has led to the over-abundance of marketing terms like “eco-friendly,” “all-natural,” and “mother earth approved”. On the other hand, many members of the food packaging industry have abandoned the pseudo-green marketing strategy and are in pursuit of actually implementing sustainable manufacturing methods. And they’re not afraid to brag about it. Claiming higher source yields, more efficient energy usage and considerable waste reduction,

and consumers. Producing items with recovered fiber promotes a longer lifespan for the materials. The EPA categorizes both manufacturing waste scraps as well as postconsumer fibrous materials as recovered fiber. As consumers are showing a developed interest in environmental practices, companies like FC Meyer Packaging are advocating the use of postconsumer reclaimed fiber opposed to virgin fiber. Most notably, based on 200 tons of packaging business, nearly 3,712 trees were preserved and roughly 1,615,680 gallons of waste water flow was saved because virgin fibers were excluded from the manufacturing process. As well, the reuse of manufactured scraps or consumer waste is becoming a significant issue. Placon Corporation of Madison, WI began offering bakery containers composed of 100% postconsumer recycled content as a result of their EcoStar initiative. Providing their clients with information about the recycling process as well as the company’s environmental ambitions for the future, Placon offers a tour of their EcoStar recycling facility online. “Anytime you can use something over again you’re preserving that molecule and using it at its highest and best value,” says Dan Mohs, CEO of Placon Corporation. “Our vision for EcoStar is to completely close the loop.” TIMMY TRABON

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inStorebuyer - September 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of inStorebuyer - September 2011