The Verdigris blog by Laurel Brunner
According to a recent study by Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) and Heidelberg the future of packaging is paper. Paper’s obviously preferable to plastics from a waste perspective, but paper’s sustainability for packaging may not be as simple as all that. The Future of Packaging 2030 study asserts that volumes of flexible packaging papers will grow by 4.5% annually by the end of the decade. This isn’t really very much given the low base that the figures come from. There are reasons for this.
For one thing flexible paper packaging has to have some sort of coating to provide a barrier. The barrier stops migration of inks into food for instance. It stops evaporation, necessary for many foods to ensure freshness. The cost of this has to be taken into account, which is part of why fibre based options for flexible packaging are still limited. But there is no doubt that people are opting more and more for goods with paper based packaging, rather than the plastic kind. This is an important driver.
Heidelberg is keen to develop new business possibilities. This is why the company is working with Solenis, a maker of barrier coatings for paper and board. It is hoped that the partnership will yield an affordable way of integrating coatings for fiber-based packaging directly into web flexo printing. And of course the process should work on Heidelberg’s Boardmaster press.
In addition to commercial interests and consumer preferences is the new European Union Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). According to the PPWR by 2030 all packaging placed on the EU market should be recyclable. Also by then packaging recycling systems should be economically viable and more widespread. The combination of laws, consumer trends and technological advance all combine to make this likely.
That the Heidelberg study finds that more paper based flexible packaging will be available by 2030 is no surprise. Of course the market is growing as the move away from plastics dependency accelerates. Heidelberg is looking after its interests and those of its shareholders. But much needs to be done before the Heidelberg goal becomes reality. Paper based substrates for packaging applications must be cheaper than their plastic equivalents. Concerns about the effectiveness of paper’s barrier functionality must be addressed. Paper cannot block moisture, oxygen or grease without a coating. The sustainability of these new coatings is an important factor for sustainability. This will matter for many industrial sectors such as food and drinks, cosmetics and so on. Once we have solutions we need ways to make them function at scale. Paper may indeed be the answer, but much work still needs to be done.
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This article was produced by the Verdigris Project, an industry initiative intended to raise awareness of print’s positive environmental impact. This weekly commentary helps printing companies keep up to date with environmental standards, and how environmentally friendly business management can help improve their bottom lines. Verdigris is supported by the following companies: Agfa Graphics, EFI, Fespa, Fujifilm, HP, Kodak, Miraclon, Ricoh, Unity Publishing and Xeikon.
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