Why Opt For Green Packaging Services Near Me
Almost all products manufactured today require packaging whether it is at the primary, secondary or tertiary level. Packaging generates a large amount of waste and also due to the different materials being used to package, the possibility of recycling all of them is difficult. With a variety of green sustainable packaging available in the market, it will be easy for companies to adopt packaging that can help the environment and give eco-conscious consumers what they want. The packaging services near me would be helpful in sourcing the best sustainable packaging material for your product.
What is Green Packaging?
Green packaging, also known as sustainable packaging or eco-friendly packaging, refers to the use of materials and manufacturing techniques that lessen energy usage and reduce the harmful impacts of packaging on the environment. This is achieved by reducing the packaging waste created, maximising sustainable materials usage like recyclable or biodegradable packaging materials, and the use of renewable energy during production. Sustainable packaging should be able to reduce the carbon footprint.
The biodegradable and recyclable materials used in green packaging are available in a variety of different forms like bio-plastics or plant-based plastics, recycled paper, plastics, and post-consumer products such as paper, plastic, cardboard, and aluminium that consumers have already used and discarded in recycling bins.
Difference Between Biodegradable And Compostable
Biodegradable and compostable packaging is terms often used interchangeably but there is a great difference between the two types of packaging material.
Biodegradable
All biodegradable products break down quickly into mostly harmless components. All materials that are plant-based, animal-based, or natural mineral-based are biodegradable but the timeframe of the decay varies depending on several factors like oxygen levels, temperature, moisture, and the nature of the material itself. Biodegradables degrade due to the action of naturally occurring microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and algae.
Compostable
Compostable means that the packaging material is capable of breaking down into natural elements in a compost environment. As it is broken down into its natural elements it causes no harm to the environment.
While all compostable material is biodegradable, not all biodegradable material is compostable. Although biodegradable materials can disappear completely they sometimes leave behind metal residue, while compostable materials create residue called humus that is full of nutrients and great for plants.
Knowledge of this difference is essential while choosing green packaging, for example, plant-based plastics are often labelled as biodegradable. While they do degrade far more easily than regular plastic, in the absence of the right environmental factors they might take just as long as regular plastics.
Few criteria for packaging to be considered as green packaging are:
· Is useful, safe, and healthy for individuals and the environment throughout its lifecycle
· Can provide effective protection and cost-benefit as per market requirements
· Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy
Although it is difficult to achieve ‘zero waste’ in the packaging process, the adoption of green packaging would help reduce the carbon footprint. Sourcing green packaging services near me can save businesses money in the long run and also promote the brand image to consumers through your sustainability measures.
