When considering innovation and development, people might instantly think of new software or smarter technology. Yet, the packaging industry has seen some creativity of its own !
As many plastics are created by fossil fuels and aren’t bio-degradable, it’s definitely important to consider alternatives.
Some new ideas include silicone and liquid wood. The former is similar to rubber and is quite durable, and the latter resembles plastic but is less harmful to the environment. Liquid wood is being used to manufacture toys in Germany, a great alternative to plastic.
Also, old ideas of sustainable development are being recycled. Glass was a popular method of packaging, especially in the food and beverages sector. It’s made from sand, can be recycled numerous times and has a smaller carbon footprint than plastic. Yet, it’s usually more expensive, which is probably what motivated the shift from glass to plastics for producers.
Liquid wood can be processed like a synthetic thermoplastic material made from mineral oil but in contrast to plastic it is fully renewable. Several million tons of lignin (the key ingredient for liquid wood) come out as a by product of the wood industry, thus additional sourcing/manufacturing of this key ingredient is not needed and it will always be available so long as we are able to create a sustainable environment for trees to grow while we cut and use them. The other advantage of liquid wood is that it is completely bio degradable and will not cause any damage to the environment as plastics do. What will be the drivers to innovation in this field?
More attention needs to be focused on driving growth for the Liquid wood industry. Companies should consider strongly the reality of using Liquid Wood and pledge to reduce plastic packaging. Government bodies, foundations and corporate entities can also provide grants or loans to innovators to support their business ideas around sustainable packaging in the Liquid wood industry. A lot of wood, paper and related products manufacturing companies also must consider collaborating with packaging firms to create joint ventures to do research and development in this new emerging industry. For a company like Rank Group, Georgia Pacific or International Paper this could very well be the growth sector in the sustainable packaging space as slowly the use of plastics will need to be reduced.
Even if consumers are aware of the detrimental effects of plastic packaging and new alternatives, will they be motivated to make the switch if it means paying a little more for sustainable packaging ? That part remains to be seen but such initiatives need to be given subsidies and incentivized by the federal government.
Sources
About the Author: Adi G is an industry veteran with several years of experience in dealing with Energy, Utility and Resources industry clients and likes to present his views on topics that impact not just the industry but our communities and society in general. He can be reached @ady@luxconsultingservices.com
Comments
Post a Comment