SHOULD WE FAVOR CARDBOARD OR PLASTIC PACKAGING?

Plastic, and more specifically single-use plastic, is often singled out as having a strong impact on the environment. It is therefore tempting to simply forget about it and look for alternatives.

Cardboard is one of them, especially for packaging. However, in practice, the issue of plastic must be qualified. While it is essential to find alternatives to plastic packaging, it still has advantages that make it difficult (but not impossible) to replace.

In this article, we take stock of plastic packaging, the interesting alternative that cardboard represents, and its limits.

THE NEED TO FIND ALTERNATIVES TO PLASTIC PACKAGING

Plastic is increasingly singled out, both by politicians and consumers, because of its environmental impact. However, the question of its elimination is much more complex than it appears, especially because its qualities sometimes difficult to find in other materials (for example for the preservation of food).

Confusion still reigns too often, especially between plastic and single-use plastic, with the effect of causing general plastic bashing that deserves to be qualified. However, plastic packaging does pose different problems that require rethinking its use:

• They lead to the production of a large volume of waste, in particular, because a large part is not recycled. This lack of recycling is due to several factors, such as consumers who do not always follow sorting instructions, the fact that some plastics simply cannot be recycled, or even the abandonment of packaging in nature.

• The impact on the environment is strong: the plastics abandoned in nature represent both a danger for animals and the planet. For example, it is found in large quantities in the oceans.

• Plastic packaging could present a health hazard according to certain studies (carried out on rats and therefore controversial). According to them, certain elements could migrate to food and present contamination risks. The use of plastic, particularly for food and for items intended for the most vulnerable people, is however strongly regulated in France, precisely to avoid this type of problem.

• The production of plastics requires petroleum, a nonrenewable and increasingly scarce natural resource.

However, not all of these problems stem entirely from plastic as such. The source of the problem lies above all elsewhere: plastic is widely used, especially for single uses (food packaging, water bottles, stirrers, etc.).

It is this massive use that makes it particularly problematic, since it amplifies drawbacks which could, for the most part, be mastered if consumption were lower. However, this argument will not be enough to reconcile consumers and plastic.

The damage has already been done and the impact on the environment too great to be forgotten. Even if companies returned to measured use, the natural resources for producing traditional plastic are already running out.

There is a real urgency to limit as much as possible the use of plastic to meet new environmental goals. Single-use plastic is now doomed to disappear, the laws concerning it are uncompromising on this point and companies have no other choice but to adapt.

However, it is the plastic as a whole that must be questioned. It is necessary to find alternative packaging to plastic to replace it where companies no longer have a choice. It is just as essential to find, whenever possible, ecological packaging solutions.

Because of plastic bashing, it is anyway better for companies to shy away from this material, which is so little appreciated by consumers. A company that opts for recyclable packaging has every chance of winning over consumers and increasing its sales. It is now a real marketing argument.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF CARDBOARD PACKAGING?

Businesses face a challenge in finding solutions to replace plastic packaging. Fortunately, there are innovative alternatives to achieve this.

There is no shortage of ideas, from consumable food packaging to techniques for creating environmentally friendly biodegradable plastic.

We see, for example, start-ups using plant materials to create biodegradable and compostable bottles as an alternative to traditional plastic bottles.

Another solution, simple and already known, is to use cardboard. This material has many advantages and can replace plastic perfectly in many situations.

Cardboard represents a particularly interesting alternative to plastic packaging because it is a renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable material. To this, we must add other good points that make it a sure value:

• It is solid: despite its light appearance, it is resistant and can withstand heavy loads;

• It is versatile: shipping packaging, packaging, transport or storage crates, the possibilities are vast;

• It is practical: when folded, it ensures a small footprint. It is thus easy to transport;

• It exists in many formats, for a multitude of uses.

Cardboard appears to be an ideal durable solution, however, care must be taken. To truly subscribe to an eco-responsible approach, the choice of cardboard boxes is essential. It is necessary to go beyond the simple material to be interested in its design and its life cycle: 

• Choose eco-responsible sectors that respect biodiversity and that are part of sustainable forest management. This helps ensure that the natural resources needed to make cardboard are not overexploited. This vigilance concerns both wood and the energy resources used for the production of cardboard.

• Make sure that the boxes used in the packaging of products or in the making of packages can be recycled. This means, for example, avoiding polluting inks and glues, or even better informing consumers so that they can comply with recycling instructions.

• You can also opt for reusable or reusable cartons. This approach makes it possible to use cardboard in a more sustainable way, by extending its life cycle as much as possible. In the same vein, you can resell your used boxes to specialized companies, such as Ecorep, who will take care of refurbishing them and then reselling them.

Cardboard is definitely one of the solutions to consider to replace plastic but to go further, you can also rethink your packaging and parcel management. For example, by reducing the packaging surface for products or by opting for made-to-measure packaging.

This allows you both to adopt a more eco-friendly approach and to lower your costs. Other avenues must also be considered in order to become an eco-responsible company, such as working with local suppliers and partners.

THE END OF PLASTIC PACKAGING?

Innovations are gradually developing to replace plastic. Start-ups and industries compete for creativity. So one would think that plastic would soon be gone. As we said earlier, the reality is much more complex.

Plastic has drawbacks that cannot be overlooked, but its success also relies on certain qualities that are difficult to find in other materials.

Its replacement thus poses technical difficulties, such as its barrier properties (resistance to water, air, or oil). In the food industry, it is particularly useful for ensuring the good conservation of food and protecting them.

Cardboard does not have this ability, it absorbs moisture and water. For the moment, it, therefore, remains limited to the packaging of dry products. For other products, this makes it necessary to add a second material to make it hydrophobic.

Innovations are thus developing to make cardboard a credible alternative to plastic, and although research must be continued, solutions are already spreading on an industrial scale, such as biodegradable, compostable, and increasingly biobased polymers.

Despite the drawbacks it presents, plastic has not yet had its last word, for lack of having found a truly satisfactory alternative for each use.

For companies, it is a first step to replace plastic with other materials, such as cardboard, whenever possible. Rethinking packaging to limit the need for materials or allow more ecological alternatives is also an avenue to be explored.

The environmental impact of plastic cannot be ignored. The laws passed in recent years increasingly limit its use by manufacturers.

It thus becomes essential to find alternatives. Cardboard and plastic are often opposed to solving this problem. Cardboard is seen as the solution, while plastic is shunned by consumers.

In fact, plastic is still, in some cases like food, the most relevant material. Until plastic can be completely replaced, cardboard and other alternatives, such as biodegradable and recyclable materials, should be favored whenever possible.