Inaugural Sustainable Packaging Forum Educates with Healthy Two-Day Discourse

The futuristic buzz word "sustainability" has recently gained a well-needed boost of exposure from the emerging use of compostable corn-based materials that can replace plastics. The concept of sustainability, however, is much more far-reaching than mere recycling and composting.

To sort out what sustainable packaging might mean in the near and far future, Packaging Strategies held a two-day forum in October to bring industry leaders together and to promote the tenets and benefits of sustainability. The event was hosted by sponsor Visy Industries and officially endorsed by industry watch groups Green Blue and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition. Visy Industries is a multi-billion-dollar company based in Australia that is committed in word and action to recycling and to environmental issues of all kinds.

A package that might be called truly sustainable should meet certain criteria in how it is produced, how it might be used, and how it can be reused or recycled. More and more companies are expressing a desire to achieve sustainability; how to get there responsibly is why the conference proceedings garnered a great deal of interest.

Visionary sustainable advocate Bill McDonough, principal/co-founder of McDonough + Braungart Design Chemistry, presented an inspirational keynote address that touched on many broad concepts as well as specific success stories. An architect by profession, McDonough is best known for designing buildings and corporate campuses that are both extremely eco-friendly and profitable.

For instance, McDonough guided the many environmental features at a Ford assembly plant that has a 10.4 acre grass-covered "living roof" and systems that collect, filter, and reuse the majority of rainwater that falls on the property. McDonough stressed that recycling is often "down-cycling," where the value of a material declines as it is used. "A product has no value except for the intention to which it is used," McDonough posited.

Conference speakers were packaging industry leaders who shared their thoughts on how the economic, social, and environmental aspects of sustainability might come together. Many companies have sensed the public's growing interest in finding out if companies act responsibly in their policies and manufacturing.

Wal-Mart chief executive Lee Scott made a recent announcement that seems to be in response to the U.S. public's expectations. Scott said that Wal-Mart will start holding its suppliers at foreign factories more accountable for environmental and social standards. "Are you running your factories in a way that promotes environmental sustainability?" Scott asked rhetorically.

Wal-Mart executive Matt Kistler was at the Sustainable Packaging Forum conference and confirmed that a shift to corn-based clamshell containers for cut fruit was a reality at Wal-Mart. The high price of oil may be the impetus, but that does not diminish the ripple effect this shift may have on the packaging industry. "With this change to packaging made from corn, we will save the equivalent of 800,000 gallons of gasoline and reduce more than 11 million pounds of greenhouse-gas emissions," said Kistler, vice president for product development for the Sam's Club division.

Many speakers and attendees had little faith in government actions or regulations to speed the progress of sustainable practices. Instead, many looked at the collection of like-minded individuals in the conference hall as a good omen that momentum can build of its own accord. This forum introduced theoretical and practical processes that can help CPGs and packaging suppliers devise short- and long-term sustainable goals with the bottom line in mind. Andy Savitz, partner at PriceWaterhouseCooper, spoke on managing business risks and opportunities, and the overlap of sustainable interests and business interests. "That overlap is bigger than you think," Savitz told the audience.