| This
focus on WASTE, whilst important, has the effect
of undervaluing the fundamental role played
by packaging in protecting, transporting, selling
and using the product. It also underplays the
other equally important environmental impacts;
namely those of water use, global warming and
sustainable sourcing of the materials used to
produce the packaging.
SLOOP believes it important to recognise the
2 distinct sustainability roles played by packaging,
1) the role when protecting the product and
2) the role when it is thrown away and needs
to be recovered to avoid becoming WASTE.
Of the 2 roles, SLOOP believes that the pack
should first be designed to deliver the first
role i.e. protecting the product. Once these
needs have been met, the secondary design phase
should be to optimise recovery for the markets
in which the pack will be disposed WITHOUT compromising
the first role. To do so would potentially increase
product waste which would have a far greater
adverse environmental impact on water, global
warming and resources than that if the pack
was not recovered. |
|
