Packaging Waste and its Impact on the Environment

Packaging materials are being produced in considerable quantities. From single-use plastic bags to product coverings, the annual generation of packaging waste is overwhelming, overburdening waste infrastructures globally.

Plastic packaging waste generated and recycled in the EU, 2011-2021 (Image source: eurostat)

Plastics in the food chain (Image source: American Scientist)

Manufacturing packaging materials necessitates considerable energy and natural resources, adding to greenhouse gas emissions and resource degradation.[1] For example, producing 1 ton of paper generates around 950kg CO2-eq greenhouse gas emissions[2]and requires approximately 2,700 liters of water.[3]

Certain packaging materials, specifically plastics, present a notable issue. When not properly managed and leaked into seas and other natural habitats, they disrupt delicate ecosystems. This plastic contamination not only harms the environment but also infiltrates the food web, endangering both human and animal wellbeing.[4] The cumulative upstream and downstream impacts of packaging waste pose a significant threat to the environment.

These issues are further compounded by the globalisation of commerce. E-commerce has enabled products wrapped in many layers of packaging to be distributed around the world, but this has also left municipalities deal with a great influx of externally produced refuse.[5]

A courier sorts through a sea of packages in a storehouse (Image source: China Daily)

Tackling packaging waste necessitates a holistic and cooperative strategy, involving citizens, corporations, and decision-makers. We need to transition towards a circular economy, where waste is reduced and materials are reused.[6]This requires developing packaging materials that are readily recyclable or compostable, and promoting resource reuse.

Circular Economy (Image source: Michel Héry)

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policies, which hold producers and manufacturers liable for the entire lifespan of their products as well as any packaging materials, can stimulate the evolution of more eco-friendly packaging alternatives.[7]^,[8]Collaboration between governments, corporations, scientists, and environmental groups, may also facilitate advances in packaging design, materials, and waste management technologies.

In addition, investing in efficient collection, sorting, and recycling facilities, is essential for diverting packaging waste from landfills and oceans.[9] Enabling the public to opt for more eco-conscious decisions, such as employing reusable shopping bags and receptacles, can motivate sustainable behavioral change.

Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) (Image source: Rubicon)

Policymakers can legislate stricter rules, such as bans on single-use plastics and mandatory recycled content requirements,[10] to catalyse industry-wide transformation. By adopting a circular economic model, cultivating collaborative invention, and enforcing holistic policies and technical solutions, we can surmount the problem.

Overcoming the inertia of established practices, aligning diverse interests, and securing the necessary resources and policies will require persistent and collaborative efforts. However, the risks of not addressing the packaging waste conundrum are considerable. Through united effort, we can forge a more eco-friendly and resilient future, with a circular economy and no packaging waste.