Sustainable Switch Over

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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)

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