Sustainable Packaging To Clean Up Oceans

Most packaging materials and plastics end up in oceans. A lot of news reports and documentaries discuss how garbage pollutes our plant’s waters. While a lot of individuals are working to reduce the amount of waste going into the ocean, it is worth discussing what companies can do to prevent water pollution due to the impact of packaging wastes.

There are two ways companies can participating in sustainability cause: developing products and procedures that are eco-friendly and contributing to proper disposal of packaging wastes.

Focusing on recycling right from the start

You may already have been recycling packaging supplies on a large scale, but you have to make sure that your packaging materials are fully recyclable for your customers. A cardboard box is one of the most recyclable packaging materials out there, but using void-fill is also necessary to ensure optimum protection for your products. Paper filler may be the best protective packaging option if you are concerned about making your packaging materials recyclable for consumers. The best thing about paper filler is that it protects semi-fragile items quite well.

If you must use plastic, using a material made of biodegradable resources can prove to be quite effective. Corn-based plastics are biodegradable and durable.

Less is more

While you may be willing to go with a bit stylish product packaging method, you have to be mindful of the environmental impact of every packaging material you use. That’s where it gets necessary to use less packaging material to reduce the amount of trash produced in the end. Less packaging also allows you to reduce packaging costs significantly. So, that becomes a win-win for your brand.

Another way to reduce the amount of packaging waste is to use an industrial shredder. This equipment will shred excess boxes and paper, helping you to pack your products without spending an extra amount of money and recycle used packaging materials. These shredded materials are excellent shock absorbers.

Eliminating the large box

It is a common practice to ship larger boxes containing several small boxes. At distribution centers, handlers discard these large boxes and move small boxes towards their destinations. Using these large boxes can generate a lot of packaging wastes, most of which end up in the oceans.

So, instead of putting small boxes in larger ones, stacking them on a pallet and securing them with stretch wrap can help secure the entire load. Stretch wrap is flexible, which means it is required only in a little amount to secure a load of small products. Moreover, this film fits well in recycle bins and requires less energy at recycling facilities. While plastic is generally perceived as a less recyclable material, the same is not true for stretch wrap film. This film not only protects your loads from start to finish but is also more recyclable than other conventional plastic packaging materials.

Speaking of boxes, make sure that the ones you use are not too large for the product you pack. Using a large box will require you to add more protective materials, leading to increased packaging costs and packaging wastes.