Embracing Home Compostable Packaging

A child-resistant press-to-close zipper designed in collaboration with TIPA to break down and biodegrade under compost conditions between 90-180 days. Image courtesy of Fresh-Lock®

A Call to Action for the Flexible Packaging Industry

Todd Meussling, Senior Manager of Market Development at Fresh-Lock®

Achieving sustainable packaging goals requires first recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. While any effort to make your brand more eco-friendly is important, the flexible packaging industry should continually strive to ensure that there are ideal solutions available for all brands and product types. To achieve this, the movement toward a circular economy demands a collaboration of skills and resources.

The Challenges of Recycling Flexible Packaging

While a growing number of consumers try to do their part to support circularity by putting their empty packages in a recycle stream, many packages consist of multiple layers and components, which are not recyclable. Additionally, food residuals can be difficult to remove from used packages. If consumers are unaware of the need to or fail to clean and dry packaging thoroughly, or forget to remove non-recyclable components like labels, the recycling stream becomes a secondary waste stream.

Some packaging formats are not accepted in curbside recycling programs. Recyclable, flexible packaging for example is currently eligible for store drop-off recycling only. These programs can be limiting, and inconvenient making it difficult and potentially frustrating for consumers to properly recycle a package.

The Promise of Compostable Packaging Isn’t Without its Challenges

An alternative to recycling, industrially compostable packaging can help simplify recovery for consumers and appeal to those who value sustainability. Many consumer-packaged goods (CPG) brands are considering compostable packaging because the process allows consumers to reduce both food and packaging waste by disposing of the package along with any remaining food residue as part of a community compost program.

Despite the pressing issues of waste and landfill overflow, switching from disposable or recyclable to industrially compostable packaging is not an easy decision. While composting can help reduce waste and benefit the soil, industrial composting is not available to most consumers. Effective compostable packaging requires infrastructure that includes consumer education, convenient access to industrial composting drop sites, or curbside composting pickup.

Industrially compostable packaging offers a notable option for reducing landfill volume when commercial collection and recovery facility resources exist for the consumer.

Bridging the Gap With Home Compostable Packaging

Home compostable packaging can help fill the gaps despite limited infrastructure currently hindering the widespread adoption of industrially compostable packaging materials. Unlike industrially compostable packages, home composting happens on a smaller scale, empowering consumers to manage their packages’ disposal.

Compostable packaging refers to packaging materials specifically designed to break down under biological conditions into a soil amendment. Consumers can create a compost pile or invest in a compost bin at home where those conditions can be obtained. To ensure compostable packaging materials do not end up in landfills, consumer education is crucial. Clear labeling and education to help build proper understanding of home composting will make the transformation of a package to a soil amendment a successful one.

Fresh-Lock® Zipper Style 8035, featuring a versatile single lock, and Fresh-Lock® Zipper Style 8531, featuring Child-Resistant technology, both designed with TIPA’s proprietary home compostable resin formulation. Image courtesy of Fresh-Lock®

Feasibility and Integration of Compostable Packaging

Fortunately, as the home compostable packaging market and infrastructure grows, so does material supply and production capabilities. This is vital because while the benefits of home compostable packaging are clear, companies equipped for legacy formats may have concerns about integrating compostable formats into their current operations. In addition to sustainability benefits, brands must consider the materials’ machinability, durability, and fit-for use for the application. If the films and closures do not work efficiently within the current process, they may be rejected during the search for sustainable solutions.

Furthermore, as brands seek effective compostable solutions, it’s important that these re-closable packages help protect contents and provide the shelf life required to maintain freshness.

Recent collaborations between leading companies aim to boost the production and reach of compostable packaging solutions. A new home compostable closure technology, for example, integrates a proprietary home compostable resin formulation, offering versatile solutions that are applicable across various markets, including food, nutraceuticals, and personal care. This crucial initiative empowers consumers and businesses to reduce dependence on traditional flexible plastics and adapt to evolving packaging waste management policies, ultimately benefiting the planet.

Setting New Standards for Environmental Stewardship

Although the infrastructure for industrial compostable packaging is still developing, the transition to compostables is pending and promising. Thus, it’s important for brands to focus on how they can adapt efficiently, and where to integrate compostables into their packaging portfolios.

The most successful and innovative projects arise from collaboration throughout the supply chain. As consumers increasingly demand eco-friendly options, brands worldwide have launched their own sustainability initiatives, which include significant waste and greenhouse gas reductions.

To ensure long-term success, now is the time to collaborate with your partners to help reduce waste and protect the planet. By pooling expertise and resources, brands can help combat waste and contribute to environmental stewardship.

About the Author

Todd Meussling is the Fresh-Lock senior manager market development. The Fresh-Lock® brand is a leader in re-closable solutions for flexible packaging. Learn more at https://fresh-lock.com/.

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