The reduction of food packaging materials and the recycling of them is currently one of the top priorities for:
- The Planet
- Governments
- Large supermarkets
- Food companies
- Bottle manufacturers
- Cap manufacturers
- Packaging line machinery manufacturers
- Contract packers
- and, of course, the end user US!
The Challenges
At the moment, people in the UK and Europe are tired of government and the local authorities telling them to "recycle more and put less in the dustbins!" Refusal means to be penalised or at least be seen as bad citizens.
People, the government and local authorities must place pressure on the packaging industry to reduce the size and weight of its bottles/caps/boxes and wrapping materials. This would help us all.
A recent survey by one of the world's largest food packaging suppliers, asked "Where should we spend our development budget for future products?" Among the research findings, the recycling issues were very prominent. The two main groups within Europe that expressed concern in this area: single parents and newly married couples, as they are "tired of being told to recycle more and having the threat of being penalized,” and “the stigma of not having reduced their waste".
The answer from these groups: "Reduce the packaging on the products"
The Industry is listening and are now spending a great deal of time and money to develop ways of reducing the weight of their food packaging products.
Food for thought
The foil, cap & bottle manufacturers talk to the food groups who talk to; the bottle, cap, box & wrap manufacturers, contract packers (some of whom the food groups' own) and the Supermarkets. The contract packers talk to the machinery manufacturers
At present they all work independently and no one manages any 360° control or supervision to ensure the implementation of packaging weight reduction through the whole system of the supply chain. Each supplier naturally looks after the sector they operate in.
So why does this occur? Vested interests; it is difficult for a bottle or cap supplier to change moulds and subsequently container, cap or package weight unless they can see a long term benefit or investment from their customers.
It then becomes difficult for the machinery manufacturer to change how they make the machine as no one will commit to the change. So who is going to pay? Not his customer the contract packer. Will the supermarket help? No it's not their job. And so it goes on and it becomes very difficult for all of them to talk to each other and find a way forward, especially with bottles and caps.
It is certain that recycling and pack weight reduction is underway and has been for some time. And, the large food companies and outlets are actively working on the project, but it is a slow process.
An example of reacting quickly to solve an issue within the Industry is the UK Milk Sector 15 years ago when Enercon Industries worked very closely with a major supermarket and a bottle and cap manufacturer to solve a problem.
'The leaking milk bottle'
In this instance; the Milk Industry, required:
- Lower priced container and cap for the Supermarket.
- That would fit into the end-users fridge door in their homes.
The end result was that the Supermarket and, of course, the end-user received a light weight bottle and cap, which was also recyclable and crushable. Unfortunately after it left the care of the filling line it 'leaked'.
This was due to the many mechanical and physical stresses the container under went in transit to the Supermarket and eventually into the home.
After many new cap designs, with varying lack of success, the dairies came up with a credit system for leaker's.. and the plastic milk bottle had evolved. This, however, created a lot of waste, not only in production, but also in transit to the supermarkets and the customer's home.
Problem Solved
The issue of transit, storage & leaker's was eventually solved by sealing the plastic milk bottle hermetically with a foil, coated with polymer. The supermarket had an excellent product, from the shelf to the customer's fridge - clean and neat!
- They all saved money
- Helped the planet by using less plastic
- And it was recyclable.
- The bottle and cap suppliers pulled back their investment with higher volumes of product
- Everyone benefited
There was a lot of resistance to change and it took 4 years to 'make it happen'.
Today it is no different, the resistance is still there and a lot of 'lip service' is being paid to the green issue of using less packaging and more recycling. Unless they are forced to, the vested interests in the packing industry will be reluctant to move ahead.
Whilst they all agree, from the large groups of food companies, to the large food outlets, there is no concerted effort being applied to involve the whole packaging industry, especially in the screw cap and bottle sector. We find they are all doing a little bit to help when under pressure and of course the vested interests will play a big part in the process.
If we look at what was achieved with the milk bottle, we know we can achieve success.
It's not rocket science! It just needs the will from those with the power to talk to each other and make it happen 360° . And, the public will love it.
How do we make it happen with screw caps & bottles?
It is essential that the large outlets help and allow us create a forum within their own packaging departments, with the weight and agreement of the chairman and board of directors behind it. We can then take the commercial view of what the board of directors want the customer to receive and open at home and in the work place.
Without this input and informed position the rest of the manufacturing and packaging groups will not act, they will listen, but be reluctant to any change It needs the people with the power to force the change by backing it.
The next step would be to involve the directors of the food and packaging companies, along with the contract packers/fillers and the line manufacturers. Finally, the bottle, cap and foil manufacturers, who will take direction from the food suppliers on the reduction of overall pack weight and stop trying to defy physics by coming up with another new closure or another new bottle to fit the bill.
"It hasn't worked over the last 50 years & it won't work now!"
If the mass of the container is larger than the mass of the closure the two objects will expand and contract at different rates due to the laws of physics. Therefore you can not stop the cap from coming loose in transit due to physics in the first place but then due to the journey the container takes and what happens to it on that journey. It needs to be controlled after the filler/packer lets go of it and right into the end users home, fridge or work place.
If the neck of the container is hermetically sealed with an induction foil seal- it cannot leak through the neck. Stopping leakers is just the beginning.
Induction cap sealing creates an hermetic foil seal that is Air tight. It also reduces:
- Bacterial contamination and product oxidation
- Improves storage and transit conditions into the customers home or work place
- Reduces rejects and scrap in packaging and filling lines
- Reduces the risk of pilfering
- Aggressive and friendly tampering
- Identity theft (copying)
- Seals in freshness
- Extend shelf life (ESL)
But the major benefit, often missed by the industry (especially closure and bottle manufacturers, large outlets and the prime food suppliers) is the proven fact that Induction cap sealing allows the cap and bottle to be reduced in thickness and style and consequently weight.
The foil seal will not stop or hinder the recyclable nature of the bottle or a cap and due to the strength and flexibility of the seal the cap or closure will not require a tear band or a bore seal which will reduce weight. Plus the wall thickness and land mass can also be reduced.
The bottle can be reduced in it's thickness at the neck and shoulder as it no longer has to withstand high application torque for cap or closure transit requirements. Air carriage rings on and around the neck can be reduced in thickness and weight as they no longer need to give additional support to the neck.
The foil seal can go into the recycling chain and there is a net gain on the package and an increase in the size of the market the packing company can attack. Every one benefits and most of all we reduce the size of our carbon foot print with cleaner safer products getting to the end user.