Sustainable packaging: focus on recycling and the circular economy

By: Trademagazin Date: 2024. 11. 21. 11:50

Packaging is a key element of the supply chain, where sustainability and recyclability are increasingly important. The development of recycled packaging materials, biodegradable alternatives and the optimization of foil use not only bring economic benefits, but can also bring significant environmental benefits. According to Gábor Arató, Managing Director of Manupackaging Hungary, what we used to call waste should now be considered a secondary raw material with which we can support the circular economy – writes Agrárszektor.

The European Union’s packaging strategy aims to recycle all plastic packaging by 2030. Currently, 40% of the plastic used in the EU is made of packaging, and Europeans produce an average of 180 kg of packaging waste per year. However, if plastic is not properly managed, it can cause serious environmental problems in the soil, water and air.

The role and sustainability of packaging

Packaging can be divided into two main categories: primary packaging directly contains the product and provides information about it, while secondary packaging combines multiple primary packages for easier handling. The market for industrial packaging films, such as stretch film or LDPE shrink film, is constantly undergoing competition and development. The European shrink film market is worth 3-4 billion euros and is growing by 3-4% annually, driven by food safety standards and retail expansion.

According to Gábor Arató, by choosing the right type of film and optimizing the settings of packaging machines, film consumption can be reduced by up to 30-70%. This not only means less raw material consumption, but also a lower carbon footprint. During stack stability tests at the company’s German facility, packaging solutions are also tested under acceleration and braking conditions to ensure safe transport of goods and minimize waste.