KFC, the chicken-based, fast food chain recently announced that it would launch reusable food containers across its outlets in the USA by 2011. The mega online shopping mall, eBay has a green box — a fully recyclable box that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and is made out of 100 per cent recycled content and water-based inks — in which it ships its products. Procter & Gamble too is in line with these moves and will pack its products in renewable, sustainable, sugarcane-derived plastic. The pilot packaging programme, will be for its Pantene Pro-V, Covergirl and Max Factor brands.

All the above examples just go to show that sustainable packaging is here to stay and grow. According to Procter & Gamble, the move will help it reduce total plastic use by 17 per cent. Similar calculations are on at eBay, which predicts that if every green box gets reused at least five times, it could protect nearly 4,000 trees, save 2.4 million gallons of water and conserve enough energy to power 49 homes for a year. “It gives every box a life of its very own. The history of each box can also be tracked through a virtual community where buyers and sellers can connect online,” says Amy Skoczlas Cole, Head of Environme-nt and Director, eBay Green Team.
Besides benefits for the planet, there are benefits for the packaging sector that sees a new ray of hope in New Age sustainable packaging materials. According to an analysis by market watchdog Global Industry Analysts (GIA), the global market for sustainable packaging is forecast to reach $142.42 billion by the year 2015. The reasons driving the market range from environmental issues such as global warming, dearth of natural resources and high energy consumption to increased awareness about environmental hazards related to the disposal and recycling of packaging wastes, government initiatives to minimise greenhouse gas emissions and stringent regulations.
The Aseptic Food Processing and Packaging Industry Association of India (AFPPA) estimates that 11.5 per cent of the total municipal solid waste (MSW) in India can be attributed to all kinds of packaging materials. Given the type and nature of the systems for organised and unorganised waste collection and sorting, a total of around 4 per cent of packaging waste goes to landfills, says Rajiv Dhar, Secretary General, AFPPA.
The evident indicator is encouraging many companies to use environment-friendly materials, and adopt methods that require low-energy consumption thus reducing the adverse environmental impact of packaging. “The Body Shop uses 100 per cent recycled PET bottles, which contain 30 per cent post consumer recyclate (PCR). In early 2008 we became the first global cosmetics and toiletries brand to achieve this level of recycled material in bottles. We have also launched glass packaging made from PCR, and our gift packaging comprises recycled content and FSC-certified gift papers,” says Smita Sahoo, Training Manager, Body Shop India.
But benefits apart, the need to pack products in wrappring that is not just eco-friendly, but also doesn’t compromise its duty of keeping the inside product safe and long lasting, is also bringing in some new technologies and stunning materials. Among the biodegradables, bioplastics are registering an increased demand in the green packaging market, say experts.
So, while the revolution is getting set to gain some pace in this part of the world, you may like to stick to your stand of carrying a jute or cotton bag to align with the green spirit. Now what material could be better than this?