Sustainable Switch Over
Your Solution to More Sustainable Packaging
Committed to
improving the
performance of
your business
index
Understanding sustainability.........................................................................................................4
Plastic V Paper ..................................................................................................................................................................6
Legislation ........................................................................................................................................................................................8
Our approach .....................................................................................................................................................................14
Sustainability Consultations .....................................................................................................18
Added Value Solutions......................................................................................................................................20
Void Fill ............................................................................................................................................................................................................26
Simple Product switches ..........................................................................................................................30
Understanding
sustainability
Environmental
Generally the biggest driver around packaging
sustainability is to minimise its environmental impact.
This usually focusses on a reduction in carbon footprint
through efficient manufacturing, materials that
require less energy and water to produce, and utilising
renewable or recycled resources. Life cycle assessments
(LCAs) provide a detailed analysis of environmental
impact at each stage.
Supporting this goal, numerous businesses have
introduced targets around plastic reduction, plastic
removal or the use of products with minimum levels
of recycled content. This is normally connected to
consumer demand or the drivers of their particular
industry.
Whatever key drivers exist, packaging should always
aim to use resources more efficiently by light weighting,
designing for reuse and utilising materials that can be
easily recycled by the receiver.
The use of biodegradable and compostable materials
should be considered based on the waste streams the
packaging will most likely end up in. At the moment,
outside of specific products and industries, most B2B
and B2C recycling systems don’t have capabilities for
processing these materials and so in practise
are unlikely to be an effective option.
Our Sustainability
Objectives
1. Sustainable Supply Chain
2. Operating Sustainably
3. Supporting Our Customers
When it comes to sustainability in packaging,
there are many factors to consider. From
materials and design to processes and
logistics, every aspect of your packaging
has an impact.
We believe sustainable packaging combines
environmental credentials with ethical and
responsible practices in the supply chain. It is
essential to consider the entire life cycle, from
raw material extraction to disposal and the
supply chain risks around each stage.
Sustainable switch over
is our solution for simplifying the
switch to more sustainable products
and processes, whilst improving
the business performance of our
customers.
Are you ready to
make the switch?
Consumers and businesses are more concerned by
the impact of packaging and waste than ever before.
Switching to more sustainable options can help you
stand out from the competition, build trust with your
customers, and even improve your bottom line.
Understanding the views of consumers and packers
and educating them about responsible disposal
practices are part of the complete approach. Clear
labelling and recycling information help consumers
make informed choices, and ensure operators buy
in to operational changes. This is especially key when
changes have been made to meet environmental
regulations and industry standards.
By choosing packaging materials that are lighter,
more durable, and easier to transport, you can reduce
the carbon footprint of your logistics and improve
efficiency in your operations.
Sourcing
Sourcing materials responsibly, ensuring ethical labour
practices, and reducing transportation emissions
are other important steps. Therefore it is important
to support manufacturers and suppliers who follow
sustainable practices and optimise logistics.
To protect these principles and ensure transparency
and integrity, the use of audit programmes and
external accreditations are extrememly valuable.
Maintaining Performance
Whilst innovations can lead to long-term savings
through improved efficiency and waste reduction,
sustainable packaging must still be cost-effective
and provide reliable protection to the products
it is transiting.
Often the performance of the packaging can be
devalued in the process of switching, which leads
to higher damages or product wastage. This will
often have a high environmental impact.
Paper V Plastic
The build-up of microplastics across all
surroundings has become a threat to both
environmental and human health. Generally,
there are two sources of microplastics, direct
from industry or indirect from physical,
chemical, and biological fragmentation
of large (>5mm) plastic deposits.
Presently there are 51 trillion particles of
microplastics on the surface of the ocean,
with the packaging industry performing
as one of the major contributors to this issue.
Increased awareness regarding the potential
harm of microplastics and plastic pollution has
led to heightened consumer demand for paper
products. This has in turn been complimented
by the introduction of the 2022 Plastic Tax in
the UK, effecting products that contain less
than 30% recycled plastic. Similar plastic tax
legislation has also been introduced in other
European countries.
The choice between paper and plastic
packaging is vital in the packaging
industry due to the growing emphasis
on sustainability, environmental
concerns, regulations, consumer
perception, and the overall impact
on ecosystems and branding.
But are paper products always better
for the environment?
Paper products come with many benefits, such
as decomposing relatively quickly, being easy
to recycle, and being made from a renewable resource.
However, manufacturing a paper bag has an estimated
carbon footprint of 5.52kg CO2e compared to 1.58kg
CO2e for a single use plastic bag or 6.92 CO2e for a
reusable plastic bag. Moreover, paper products are often
difficult to reuse. In our example, a basic reusable plastic
bag only has to be reused once in order to make it more
environmentally friendly in terms of its carbon footprint.
Likewise, the chemicals and fertilisers used in the
production of paper create additional harm to the
environment, and production can contribute to
deforestation if paper is not sourced sustainably. It is
important to ensure paper products are FSC certified,
confirming the forest is being managed in a way that
preserves biological diversity.
Currently the UK’s increasing demand for paper
alternatives has outstripped domestic manufacturing
capabilities. The UK accounted for 4.3% of global paper
imports in 2020, in turn increasing the carbon footprint
of paper products through increased transportation.
Are bioplastics the solution?
The past few years has also seen many advances in
bioplastics. Bioplastics, according to the European
Bioplastics Association, are either bio-based,
biodegradable, or both. Some examples include: starch
based, water soluble, vegetable oil based, and even
plastics made from fish waste. Though these innovations
allow a substantial carbon footprint reduction in the
stage of resource extraction, they often come at a much
higher cost with generally inferior properties, resulting in
limited uptake by businesses; with bioplastics accounting
for only 0.6% of total global plastic production in 2019.
Biodegradation is often seen as the most appropriate end
of life option for biodegradable bioplastics, though this
is not always the case, as biodegradation under landfill
conditions leads to high levels of methane pollution,
with emissions from landfill accounting for 1.9% of total
global GHG emissions in 2016. Industrial composting
is a more sustainable option, as the presence of oxygen
substantially decreases methane emissions, though
it has been reported that only a small percentage
of biodegradable bioplastic is composted.
For references and further reading, please visit
hazel4d.com/insights
Legislation
Future
In the UK the government continues to refine and
expand its packaging waste regulations, particularly
in response to growing environmental concerns and
international commitments to reduce plastic waste.
Future measures may include stricter recycling targets,
additional product categories under EPR, and further
incentives for sustainable packaging solutions. One
significant change on the horizon is Simpler Recycling
which will make kerbside recycling more consistent
and accessible across the UK.
Fundamentally the UK’s and Europe’s packaging waste regulations are designed to minimise
the environmental impact of packaging materials by promoting recycling, reducing the amount
of packaging waste generated, and encouraging the reuse of packaging where possible.
These regulations are part of the UK’s broader waste management and environmental
protection strategies and are governed by several key pieces of legislation, and link back
to wider treaty commitments and EU initiatives.
PRNs
Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs) are UK certificates
proving the recycling of packaging waste. Obligated
producers, including manufacturers, importers,
and retailers handling over 50 tonnes of packaging
annually, must purchase PRNs to meet specific
recycling targets.
The costs reflect the amount of waste processed,
promoting sustainable packaging practices. This
system ensures that producers bear the financial
responsibility, aligning economic incentives with
environmental goals and supporting recycling
infrastructure. It’s crucial for businesses involved
in packaging to be aware and comply.
EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD)
European packaging waste regulations are governed
primarily by the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste
Directive (PPWD), which sets the framework for
managing packaging waste across EU member states.
The UK Packaging Waste Regulations (1997/2007)
These regulations implement the EU Packaging Waste
Directive, setting targets for the recovery and recycling
of packaging waste. Businesses must register with an
agency, meet specific recycling obligations and submit
annual reports.
Plastic Packaging Tax
In the UK, Spain and Italy, there is increased focus on plastic usage through
the development of Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT).Whilst there are slight variances
in the regulations in each country, PPT was designed as a measure to address the
plastic waste problem and financially incentivise the use of more recycled content.
The taxes in the UK and Spain have already entered into force.
Our range of products with recycled content includes both post industrial (pre
consumer) and post consumer recycled content. They provide a more sustainable
solution to traditional plastic packaging materials.
head of sustainability - Leading
Workwear Supplies Distributor
I am incredibly pleased with the impact
that Hazel 4D has had on our company’s
sustainability journey, particularly in
how simple it was to transition to more
sustainable packaging options.
Using Hazel 4D’s expertise, we were
able to make informed decisions
that aligned with our company’s
environmental goals.
10
Extended Producer
Responsibility
EPR regulations have been implemented inline
with the UK’s commitment to limit the global
average temperature rise to well below 2°C,
as per the 2019 Paris Agreement.
It is a policy approach that has been adopted
by many countries and introduces the “Polluter
Pays” principle. This shifts the responsibility
for 100% of the costs of the full life cycle of
packaging (including recovery, processing, and
disposal) to “Brand Owners” or producers. EPR
will introduce higher packaging waste costs for
items that are harder to manage.
EPR means the producer of packaging is accountable
for the total cost of managing the packaging waste.
This puts the onus back onto the producer rather
than the customer and supply chain, and encourages
a circular economy model through recycling
initiatives. Within the new regulation, increased
fees for the use of hard-to-recycle materials in
packaging will also be introduced. The plan will
be implemented in a phased approach, with full
compliance by 2027.
Reporting requirements have already begun,
with payments from 2025. Packaging should be
designed with recyclability in mind, aiming for
mono-materials or easily separable components
to facilitate the recycling process.
Just as consumer awareness over the sustainability
of packaging has continued to rise, producers
should now be more engaged in the entire life cycle
of their packaging. The introduction of EPR will
promote the importance of reducing the amount
of weight in packaging product, especially those
destined for consumers and household waste.
EPR is a scheme that incentivises
producers to design packaging
that is easy to recycle.
Department for Environment,
Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)