Beverage World Awards Sustainable Packaging Awards for 2016
Processes, procedures and packaging that is environmentally friendly continues to be a goal for individual packagers and the industry as a whole. So it is no surprise that companies are constantly looking for ways to become more energy-efficient, greener and more sustainable in their processes. Beverage World recently recognized a number of companies who led the way in sustainability in 2016 and below are a few of the innovations for which those companies were recognized.
Of course, innovations in materials are always welcome in the packaging world, as one of the biggest criticisms is the amount of material used for and in packaging. Several companies have and continue to work on providing the lightest containers possible while also keeping these same containers usable. Companies have developed ways to make cans and metal container lighter as well as glass containers such as wine bottles. In addition to containers themselves, container components such as caps and other closures are also being produced with lighter weights. Reducing the weights and the materials used results in cutting back on carbon dioxide through production processes, transportation and more!
Of course, in 2016 recycling also remains a concern and an area where many companies and the industry as a whole aims for improvement. One company has designed tamper evident cap that keep the lid tethered to the bottle. While this may seem insignificant, imagine how many lids and even tamper evident bands get thrown out even when the bottle is recycled! Tethering the closure to the bottle increases the likelihood of the two staying together and being recycled together, which becomes significant when taking in to account the huge numbers of bottles used each year in our world today.
Other innovations include new shrink labels and pressure sensitive labels, which could affect recycling food-grade PET, can now be separated from the PET during the recycling process, allowing both the PET and the label or shrink wrap to be re-used. Other companies are creating packages from renewable materials, "defined as natural resources that can be replenished over time." In other words, creating packages without exhausting limited natural resources!
So why, as packaging machinery manufacturers, does Liquid Packaging Solutions get excited about these package innovations? In addition to the benefits to the environment, our equipment is manufactured to handle whatever package is being used in each different process. Our machinery, from power conveyors to filling machines and capping equipment, can work with these packages to help create a sustainable, eco-friendly process for the entire industry, one packager at a time!
For more information on 2016 innovations in packaging and the Sustainable Packaging Awards, read the Beverage World article Making a Difference by Heather Landi. For more on packaging equipment and design, contact a Packaging Specialist at Liquid Packaging Solutions today!