Why You Should Watch for Flexible Packaging

Although he’s a picky eater, my 9 year old son eats sour cream like it’s his job.  Smother it in sour cream… and he’ll eat it. So I remember vividly the first time we noticed and purchased Daisy brand sour cream in a flexible packaging “squirt” container. It was a life altering moment!

And in hindsight, I realize we now utilize every drop of sour cream in those flexible containers, when we used to throw away the plastic container that was still 1/3 full… but had begun to grow furry pink stuff.

That, my friends, is just one everyday example of a flexible packaging benefit: reduced food waste.

Pretty cool.

And not even something I had given much thought to, until I recently learned more about flexible packaging.

Packaging Second Only to Nature’s Original

Although you may not even realize it, I’ll bet you have flexible packaging in your home at this very moment. That bag of frozen peas, walnuts, cough drops, or beef jerky? Yep, all of them are in flexible packaging.

Basically, it’s any package whose shape can be changed when filled or during use.  Yes, these items are often made of plastic materials. But the benefits may surprise you.

Flexible packaging has been called “packaging second only to nature’s original.” The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) has been the voice of this industry since 1950, which continues to lead important packaging trends. Their goals are to extend shelf life and increase safety, design flexibility, convenience, and sustainability.

Benefits of Flexible Packaging

To determine which packaging alternatives are better for the environment, you really need to consider all impacts throughout a package’s life cycle.  All packaging and plastics are not created equal.

More and more product types are starting to use flexible packaging, because of it’s many benefits.

• Convenience: It’s easy to store, open, reseal… and extends product life.
• Lower Environmental Footprint: Flexible packaging uses less energy to manufacture and transport, reduces product waste, and sends less material to landfills. So it reduces greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuel usage, and water usage.
• Reduces Waste: The goal with flexible packaging is to use the least amount of packaging possible. This creates less waste right from the start.

I love that new processing technologies are being refined for flexible packaging that promise to extend shelf life and freshness even further… without the use of preservatives.

Most flexible packaging currently in use is for food and beverages. So while grocery shopping is the ideal time to be on the lookout. If you have a choice between two brands, and one is in flexible packaging, consider these benefits when making your decision.

You Can Recycle It!

Many efforts are underway to overcome recovery and recycling challenges. Technical innovation comes first, and recycling needs time to catch up. But even now, consumers can definitely help by the conscious choices they make.

Yes, you can upcycle or recycle much of the flexible packaging you use. About 50% of flexible plastic packaging is easily recyclable through in-store drop-off programs. The other half can be chemically recycled (which for now, is expensive) or used as energy feedstock.

Single layer polyethylene (PE) films can be recycled, but often must be dropped off at grocery stores since most curbside programs are not yet able to sort and process PE films. The store collection program is called “WRAP” (Wrap Recycling Action Program) and is available to more than 90% of Americans at more than 18,000 major grocery and retail stores.

You can find your local flexible packaging recycle locations here.