In recent years, as the industry has started to look at alternative packaging materials, compostable films have emerged as a key player. We recently caught up with Chris Schaefer, Global Sustainability Director at Earthfirst Films, who gave us her views on this field.
What is motivating the increased use of compostable, bioplastic films?
Brand manufacturers – from start-up to global - are initiating or transitioning their products’ packaging to more sustainable, compostable options. There’s great insight into the why of these projects. Companies are choosing to lessen their carbon footprint.
Many are preparing for upcoming EPR – Extended Producer Responsibility – regulatory guidelines which have eco-modulated fee structures favouring composable packages.
What applications are compostable films suited to?
Independent films including flow-wrap, shrink sleeve and thermoforming exist in compostable form. As a component of a packaging lamination – barrier sealant (yes – a barrier and a sealant as one film), print web and sealant films contribute performance to a specific package layer.
In your view, do bioplastic films have the performance necessary for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG)?
Compostable bioplastics have both the performance and the sustainability to have a majority share position within packaging films.
Compostable bioplastics – including PLA, PHA and PBS - impart performance to packaging films and have inherent environmental health contributions following consumer use.
Each biopolymer has unique performance attributes.
PLA has great versatility in both pure and blended forms. As a pure film it has natural characteristics. Inherent in its chemical make up – PLA films exhibit airtight seals – even through contamination – and at lower sealing temperatures. PLA film’s stiffness is a valuable property as it allows considerable downgauging.
PHA’s are engineered for home compostable films and PBS contributes to softer, more extensible films.
Could you let us know more about your thoughts on their sustainability attributes?
Importantly – biopolymer films provide environmental benefit. Environmental benefits typically fall into three categories.
1. Improved Origin of Life (OOL). Biopolymer films typically have renewable bio-materials including plants.
2. Positive Environmental Impact. The compostability of biopolymer films contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through diversion of packages and organic waste from landfill to industrial or home compost. Materials safely compost into natural biomass which contributes to a new cycle of bio-material regeneration.
3. Positive End of Life (EOL). When composted – compostable films and packages contribute to a circular system of regeneration. The original physical product – packaging with any food remnants – transitions to the basis for new products instead of taking up residency in land fill.
In what ways would you argue that compostable films are contributing to environmental health?
Compostable packaging provides an unparalleled opportunity to capture food waste. In the EU, around 59 million tonnes of food waste are generated annually.
By composting packages and food scraps in either industrial or home systems – and then using the compost produced - nutrients and carbon are returned to the soil improving soil quality, supporting plant growth and build resilience in ecosystems and communities.
Does compostable packaging actually break down in Industrial Composting systems?
Yes. In April, the Composting Consortium of Closed Loop Partners released results of an 18-month study on how well certified, food-contact compostable packaging breaks down in real-world composting facilities.
The study included multi layer bioplastic films. Their findings ‘offer strong evidence for the efficacy of compostable packaging as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics’ and more specifically ‘compostable packaging breaks down successfully at composting facilities that meet reasonable operational parameters’.
There is an argument to suggest that compostable films are more expensive compared to their conventional materials. How would you respond to this?
Compostable films are currently more expensive. As adoption increases to scale bioplastics – prices will decrease. Until then – it is an investment. Using a high purity PLA film as an example - the best ways to defend the investment follow.
Positive Environmental Impact. Compared to traditional fossil fuel-based films – directionally PLA film creates 0.6 kilos of CO2 per kilo of biopolymer produced from cradle-to-gate. In comparison, traditional polymers – PE, PET and PP, etc. create 3.3X more CO2. Traditional fossil fuel polymers produce 2 kilos of CO2 for every kilo of polymer produced from cradle-to-gate.
Regulatory Fees. EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) initiatives typically specify fee modulation designed to incentivise more positive packaging. These eco-modulated fees translate to lower fees for positive qualities like compostability, downgauged and smaller packages.
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