Enhancing beverage packaging sustainability has become one of the most crucial issues the world is facing today. An astonishing 33% of the carbon emission on the planet is generated by the food and beverage industry–particularly beers, wines, and carbonated soft drinks. More than production and processing activities, experts are concerned about the carbon footprint left by packaging materials. Deploying the CO2 calculator allows companies to keep a close watch on their emissions and stay compliant with the relevant regulations per their state and country.
How Big is the Impact? Check Out these Statistics
Beverages and carbonated drinks have different emission rates. For instance, beer and white wine have emission factors of 0.035 kg/hl, and wine has an emission factor of 0.08 kg/hl. Carbonated soft drinks include around 6gms to 8gms per liter, translating into 3 to 4 volumes of CO2. Manufacturers must also account for the emissions from recycling the packaging materials post-consumption. For instance, distributing beer in 330mL glass bottles has an impact of 1,483 gms of CO2 per liter of beer. On the other hand, if the beer is distributed in 20-liter steel kegs, this impact cuts down to 205 gms.
Recycling Beverage Packaging Materials Could be the Solution
Recycling packaging materials and using recycled materials to package fresh products can drastically lower carbon emissions. Research has shown that simply by making the shift from virgin materials to recycled packaging can make a significant impact on the percentages. For instance, the closed-loop approximation method works on the assumption that recycled materials are used again and again instead of virgin materials. On the other hand, reusing the same containers has a higher emission rate.
Using the CO2 calculator allows manufacturers to measure the carbon impact. For instance, a 1.5L PET bottle has a weight change from 39.9 gms to a maximum of 46 gms. The closed-loop method will result in emissions of 90 gms; however, recycling the materials can generate emissions ranging from 126 gms and above. The same principle applies to aluminum cans. Adopting the recycling method could generate emissions worth 142 gms of CO2 per 355mL aluminum can. However, switching to the closed-loop method can cut down on this emission to 124gms of CO2.
Using CO2 Calculators to Estimate Packaging Impact
CO2 calculators allow manufacturers to account for each layer of packaging used in the beverage. That’s how they can accurately estimate the product’s carbon footprint. Here’s how the variables work.
- The consumer unit is the product unit the end consumer consumes after buying it, such as a bottle, PET bottle, or aluminum can. You’ll also calculate the bottle and label separately.
- The selling unit is the packaging the manufacturer uses to create a single unit. For instance, a batch of 6 or 12 aluminum cans, 6 PET bottles, or 4/6/8 glass bottles. A cardboard box would be needed to package the beverages. If the soft drink is sold in aluminum cans or PET bottles without a box, you’ll factor in the plastic wrap used to pack the bottles or cans. Remember that glass bottles may need extra packaging to prevent breakage during transit.
- Tray or crate in which the smaller units are packaged for transportation from the company facility to the retail stores. A single shipping container may have up to 12 packaged units.
- A pallet is what the manufacturer uses to load the containers into a vehicle for transportation.
Other Factors to Consider with Beverage Packaging
CO2 calculators also consider other factors, such as the region where the packaging materials were manufactured, including each layer. That’s because the grid mix is specific to the region. Next, the calculator adds the weight of each packaging layer in kilos per packaging unit. The most crucial factor is the number of times the particular material can be recycled and still be usable.
Using CO2 calculators has now become essential for beverage manufacturers worldwide to stay compliant with carbon reduction regulations. With companies using responsibility and sustainability themes in their marketing strategies, deploying calculators allows them to keep pace with their efforts to lower their carbon footprint.
