A Reality Check for Packaging

Facts instead of emotions

The discussion surrounding packaging is emotional and often characterised by simplified assumptions. Glass is often seen as a sustainable alternative, whereas plastic is seen as a problem material. The latest Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) using the Environmental Footprint Version 3.1 method, carried out by c7-consult on behalf of ALPLA, paint a differentiated picture and confirm once again that plastic packaging - especially PET with recycled content - performs better than alternative packaging systems in many environmental categories.

The updated data not only shows known advantages in terms of CO₂ emissions and resource consumption. The freshwater ecotoxicity and human toxicity (carcinogenic) categories were also analysed for the first time. The result: PET also has clear advantages over glass in these toxicological impact categories.

What does a life cycle assessment show?

An LCA looks at the environmental impact of a product over its entire life cycle - from raw material extraction, production and transport through to recycling or disposal. This creates a scientifically sound overall picture that takes all relevant influencing factors into account. For packaging, this means that it is not just the material itself that counts, but also the weight, transport costs, energy used in production and recyclability.

The latest data from c7-consult once again confirms a clear picture: lightweight plastic packaging has the lowest environmental impact in many applications - especially if it is produced with a high proportion of recycled material.

Why energy and weight are crucial

Glass requires high temperatures and therefore large amounts of energy during production. At the same time, the high weight increases emissions along the entire transport chain. This is particularly evident with single-use glass packaging. It causes the highest pollution in numerous environmental categories. Compared to disposable glass, reusable glass always performs better, but also has disadvantages over long transport distances due to its high weight.

PET packaging, on the other hand, benefits from its low weight and high material efficiency. If rPET is also used, the need for primary raw materials and the associated environmental impact is significantly reduced even further.

New perspective: Ecotoxicity and Human Toxicity

For the first time, the categories Freshwater Ecotoxicity and Human Toxicity were also analysed as part of the current LCA analyses by c7-consult. Freshwater ecotoxicity describes the ecotoxicity potential of a product in freshwater ecosystems and assesses the extent to which emissions such as heavy metals or pesticides can damage the local flora and fauna. Human Toxicity analyses possible long-term health risks to humans from carcinogenic substances.

The results using the data from Germany as an example show a consistent picture:

• Disposable glass has the highest levels of pollution in both categories. The main drivers are energy-intensive primary material production and higher transport emissions due to the weight. Reusable glass partially reduces the impact, but remains at a high level. 
• PET packaging performs significantly better, especially with a high proportion of recyclate and in reusable systems.
• Cardboard-based packaging systems show low impacts, especially for beverages such as milk or fruit juices.

Science instead of perception

The public debate often focuses on the visible aspects of packaging. However, scientific analyses show that sustainable decisions can only be made on the basis of holistic data. For ALPLA, a fact-based approach therefore takes centre stage. Life cycle assessments create transparency and help to objectively evaluate packaging solutions and develop them further in a targeted manner.

The life cycle assessment of all packaging materials improves with lower weight, an increasing proportion of recycling and - if possible - in reusable containers. But only PET can combine these three important properties. This is shown by the current LCA: PET packaging is one of the most environmentally friendly solutions - not only in terms of climate impact, but also with regard to ecosystems and human health.