Ecology and sustainability is a very important topic for us. Unfortunately, this issue is very comprehensive and does not have a simple and uniform solution for all situations. In addition, here too, time brings various “fashionable” trends, which, however, often do not fulfill what they promise.

Is paper really more environmentally friendly than plastic?

  • Massive felling of trees that would naturally reduce CO2
  • Higher weight and volume increasing the ecological demands of transport
  • Approximately 10x higher water consumption for paper production
  • About 4x higher energy consumption for paper production
  • 70% more air pollution during paper production
  • Currently, a higher proportion of paper recycling, which, however, consumes up to 2x more energy compared to plastic recycling

It is always necessary to evaluate the optimal solution with regard to the packaged product and the entire life cycle of the packaging. This topic is also essential in the area of ​​filling systems, where damned plastic pillows have a huge advantage. 

You can’t blow paper!

Air cushions are standardly inflated at the point of packaging. 99% of the filling volume is thus air and only 1% plastic.

PŘÍKLADY Z PRAXE

Advantages of PE air cushions

  • Reduction of material needed to fill the space > less waste (film takes up a fraction of the inflated volume when cut)
  • Easily and clearly sorted and recyclable material
  • More efficient storage
  • More efficient transportation
  • No shape memory
POPTAT

Different and even miraculous bioplastics could appear as a great alternative.
However, over time they turn out to be a dead end causing further complications.

The main problematic aspects of bioplastics

  • A large number of different materials that are confusing and confusing for the general public. There are also petroleum-based bioplastics, as well as bioplastics that are not as degradable as conventional plastics.
  • The use of a large amount of food and agricultural areas for a one-time replacement of plastic (18 tons of potatoes for the production of 1 ton of PHA polymer and 10 tons of potatoes in the case of PLA) at a time when water supplies are decreasing and due to global warming, areas suitable for agriculture will also be limited.
  • In reality, very problematic degradability achievable only in industrial composting plants (e.g. In-Vessel), which are not found in the Czech Republic at all.
  • Problematic sorting. These plastics do not belong in the yellow plastic containers, where they would contaminate and degrade properly sorted material. Unfortunately, their (in)degradability causes problems even in commonly used composting plants.
  • The consumer may get the impression that it is actually okay to throw away such material in nature.
  • In the case of biodegradable materials based on fossil fuels, their degradation actually only leads to transformation into microplastics.

Nazávazná poptávka

Non-binding request