| An unfortunate perception of the print and packaging | | | | energy consumed to create it, if a typical household |
| world is that it “eats trees”! In fact, of the world | | | | turned its thermostat down by two degrees, or |
| consumption of wood only 12% is actually used for the | | | | reduced its motor vehicle usage by just one mile per |
| manufacture of paper and board, and of this, just one | | | | day, it would save as much energy as is used to |
| tenth is used for cartons. Over half the cartons used in | | | | make the packaging for a whole year’s supply of |
| Europe are manufactured using recovered fibres from | | | | goods. |
| waste paper. | | | | Other Environmental Issues |
| In Europe over 90% of the wood needed by the | | | | Environmental issues are closely monitored throughout |
| paper and board industry comes from European | | | | the Group. Progress is being made with regard to |
| forests, and responsible packaging producers, like | | | | obtaining ISO 14001 for all businesses within the Group. |
| Benson Group, ensure that their purchases are made | | | | The company’s Bardon site was the first carton |
| from FSC and PEFC certified suppliers, which means | | | | business in the country to eliminate benzophenone |
| that any new wood used has come from responsibly | | | | from inks and varnishes, and the company has taken |
| managed forests. Overall there are more trees planted | | | | significant steps to reduce the amount of alcohol in use |
| than felled in Europe, and as forests absorb CO2 they | | | | in press fount solutions. The latest offset press to be |
| combat greenhouse gases, and therefore have a | | | | employed on the shopfloor is running with just 0.2% of |
| positive effect with regard to climate change. | | | | alcohol. |
| Cartonboard is easy to recycle. Cartons are simple to | | | | With certification for the provision of PEFC and FSC |
| crush flat and separate for disposal. If, for any reason, | | | | certified cartonboard stock, Benson Group is helping to |
| they are not recycled, the vast majority are 100% | | | | ensure the use of sustainable resources for packaging |
| biodegradable. Overall, however, it is not packaging that | | | | production. FSC and PEFC are international |
| makes up the majority of landfill. Government statistics | | | | associations that promote responsible forestry by |
| show that it is only 18% of household waste, and just | | | | providing proof that finished products contain only |
| 3% by weight and volume of packaging waste sent to | | | | wood that has been gathered from responsibly |
| landfill. | | | | managed sources. Print companies provide a major |
| Records also indicate that the amount of used | | | | link in the chain for paper products. Customers can |
| packaging sent to landfill and been in decline for the | | | | also carry this message through to the end user by |
| last ten years. Whilst innovative design has focused on | | | | having the appropriate FSC or PEFC logo reproduced |
| using less material, nearly 60% of all packaging was | | | | on the packaging itself. |
| recycled in 2005, including some 1 million tonnes of | | | | The Forestry Stewardship Council was established |
| household materials. The average household | | | | back in 1993, and is a non-profit making association |
| generates some 3 t 4 kg of used packaging per | | | | responsible for some 22% of the 250 million hectares |
| week, and at least the same amount of wasted food. | | | | of forests represented by all certification schemes. |
| It should also be born in mind that packaging prevents | | | | The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest |
| waste. According to World Health Organisation | | | | Certification scheme (PEFC) began in 1999 and covers |
| statistics, food wastage in the third world can be as | | | | some 51% of the forests covered by all certification |
| high as 50%, whilst in developed economies as low as | | | | schemes. |
| 3%. Much of this difference is due to good quality | | | | Whilst these certification schemes have a place in the |
| packaging. Under-packaging is ten times worse for the | | | | market, the fact remains that cartonboard provides the |
| environment that the same amount of over-packaging, | | | | most environmentally friendly form of packaging |
| as ten times more energy and material resources go | | | | available, with the vast majority of board stocks 100% |
| into the production of goods and food than into their | | | | recyclable and compostable. |
| packaging. | | | | Read the original carton board article. |
| Putting packaging into perspective in terms of the | | | | |