Plastic packaging is currently facing considerable pressure from public opinion, especially in western countries. Its ecological compatibility is said to be questionable and urgently calling for alternatives or guidelines. This is why new options are emerging like the loose sale of foodstuffs or new regulations such as the EU-wide ban on disposable plastic products. With respect to beverages, voices are heard time and again asking for the replacement of PET by glass bottles.
Sixty packaging products tested.
Some time ago, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment commissioned the independent consulting company Carbotech AG, a specialist in environmental matters, to engage in a study on the eco-balance of generally used beverage packaging products. The investigation focused on about 60 different containers for beer, fruit juice, ice tea, soft drinks, milk, mineral water and wine. As a basis for comparing the different beverage packaging articles, the group of experts relied on current data on production, logistics and utilisation (reuse). The method of ecological scarcity, which looks at the particular product and system, was used to assess the effect on the environment.
Beverage itself more harmful.
The study concludes that, basically, no material necessarily displays a poor eco-balance. Containers that rely on the least possible quantity of recyclable raw material and are designed for reuse are suitable and ecologically sensible. Interesting, moreover, is the fact that the production of a vast majority of the beverages themselves strains the environment many times more than the applied packaging. Losses of content caused by the design of the container, therefore, can be more decisive for the overall picture of the eco-balance than production, transport and disposal of the packaging.
Requirements in three areas.
The study conducted in Switzerland by Carbotech AG also clarifies that no particular type of packaging is the perfect solution for every kind of beverage. In general, containers should meet three basic requirements: One criterion is the protection of the content, which must not suffer any damage hygienically, technically or due to any other influences. The second characteristic of a packaging article is defined by logistic requirements as regards transport and storage. And, thirdly, there are the demands imposed by marketing. Design, colour and refinement are decisive influencing factors in the choice of beverage packaging.
Method of ecological scarcity and EDS
This method evaluates the emissions and consumption of resources with what are known as eco-factors. The latter are calculated from the ratio between the current emission quantities and the target values based on politically legitimated environmental quality objectives laid down by the law. The weighted quantities of emissions and the consumption of resources are expressed in the unit of measurement environmental damage score (EDS). In other words, the higher the EDS, the higher the strain on the environment.
Transport distance changes the basic situation.
Aspects of relevance to logistics, such as weight, space required and stackability of the containers, affect the eco-balance directly. From the resulting transport efficiency arises the question of the distance. The study investigated to what extent the environmental damage changes when beverages in PET bottles and in returnable glass bottles are transported over longer distances. Thanks to the low weight of PET bottles, their transport distance contributes only insignificantly to a higher environmental strain, while that of returnable glass bottles does this clearly. The comparison of half-litre bottles shows that both display similar values up to a distance of approximately 250 kilometres, but that the PET bottle is more environmentally friendly beyond that. With greater volumes, the threshold is 230 kilometres.
Mineral water best in PET.
From the environmental viewpoint, PET bottles belong to the containers causing the least damage, especially where carbonated drinks are concerned. In this instance, the decisive factors are the low weight and the utilisation possibility. Here it must be observed that Switzerland, achieving a recycling quota of 80 % on a voluntary basis, is an exemplary country compared internationally. A direct comparison of the total strain on the environment caused by the 1.5-litre PET bottle versus that of the 1-litre returnable and the 1-litre disposable glass bottle shows the PET container clearly in the lead. Only tap water suitable for carbonisation would be more environmentally friendly than the PET bottle.
Source: eco-balance of beverage packaging products, Carbotech AG, 2014, Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), Media Service web page
