From “Paper or Plastic?” to “Glass, Plastic or Aluminum?”

There is a new debate emerging about which packaging material, glass, plastic or aluminum, has the least environmental impact over the course of its lifetime, and there are many perspectives to consider prior to determining a true winner.  Barry Sanel, a former packaging executive with over 20 years of experience in branding and packaging, brings this issue to the forefront of an industry which plays a major role in the amount of waste produced by ubiquitous single-use consumables.  According to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, the four most crucial determinants by which to gauge a package’s level of sustainability, are how its materials are sourced, manufactured, applied within the packaging itself, and finally, disposed of or reconstituted at end of life.  All three materials have their inherent benefits as well as drawbacks when viewed within the scope of the SPC’s considerations, so the question might be better posed thusly: How may vested interests, including the public at large, quickly establish the means by which to use each material efficiently, while minimizing waste and overall carbon footprint, such as furthering incentives for recycling across the board, as well as cleaning and refilling glass bottles as done in Germany.

Sustainable Packaging Coalition