The Most Popular Packaging Materials: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

The Ugly

If you recognise any of these materials as ones you’re using in your own operation, now is the time to change. Not just because we think so, but these materials are actually going to be banned by the end of 2020 under the UK Plastics Pact. There’s plenty of alternatives on the market which will fit right in and offer the same, if not better quality solutions than what you’ve already got. You and your customers might not even notice the changes, but the planet will thank you for it.

PVC

Polyvinyl chloride, or PVC to you and me, in packaging is typically in its flexible form, such as a film. It could be pallet wrap or shrink film, but whichever form it’s in, it’s bad news for the environment. Whilst it’s one of the most widely used plastics in the world, PVC is exceptionally tricky to recycle, and if it’s used in conjunction with recyclable plastics like HDPE or PET, it can contaminate them and make those “fully recyclable” plastics, not recyclable at all.

Polystyrene

Polystyrene is used a lot by those sending electronics through the courier networks due to its excellent impact absorption qualities, and as such, is what a lot of packing peanuts are made from too. Whilst it’s good at protecting items, it’s really not good at protecting the planet. Polystyrene isn’t a widely accepted recyclable material, and any councils that do accept it won’t actually recycle it because it’s so tricky to.

Oxo-degradable Plastic

Oxo-degradable plastic is fairly new on the packaging scene and was widely claimed as the solution to replace the plastics we’re used to; a metallic additive added to plastic which would make it break down in 6-18 months, and therefore not damaging the environment…right? Wrong. The additive which is added to the plastic actually causes it to break down into microplastics, which are even more harmful to the environment than standard plastics, and cannot be recycled.

So, now we know the effects those three materials can and do have on the environment, it’s safe to say they deserve to reside in the ugly category of packaging materials.

The Bad

Whilst these materials get a lot of bad press, the issue isn’t always with the material itself, but how they’re often disposed of. All of these materials are actually fully recyclable, but it’s down to the consumer to locate a convenient recycling bank as most councils don’t accept them in curbside collections.

HDPE and PET Plastic

These plastics are what you’re likely to be most familiar with. They’re typically used for bottles, whether it’s drinks, cleaning, or beauty products. HDPE and PET plastic are often referred to as “single use plastics” as they’re used once, and then binned. But, nearly all UK councils do accept plastic bottles in recycling, so it’s important to make it clear to your customers that these materials can, and should, be easily recycled. The environmental damage associated with creating HDPE and PET plastic does prove that we can’t rely on this material forever, and we’re going to need to find an alternative, and soon.

Polythene

Polythene mailing bags have been a feature of ecommerce despatch operations since day one. They’re lightweight, they’re low-cost to send, and they’re perfect for sending all sorts of products through the courier network. But, they’re made from plastic. The good news however, is they’re made from low density polyethylene (LDPE to us) and can be recycled with carrier bags in supermarkets. Again, with the negative environmental impact from creating plastics, alternatives to poly mailers have become more widely produced and available. Paper mailing bags are the most eco friendly swap out of all of them.

Bubble Wrap

Whilst bubble wrap is great fun to sit and pop, it’s no secret that it’s not exactly good for the planet. First and foremost, bubble wrap is made from plastic, but, like poly mailers, it’s made from LDPE. So, bubbles popped or unpopped, you can recycle it alongside carrier bags and bread bags, and there’s often a collection point for these materials in supermarkets. If you want to be eco-friendly without relying on your customer taking the bubble wrap to a recycling point, you can get bubble wrap that’s made from recycled plastic, and it can still be recycled after use.

Without a doubt, these materials are a useful and versatile feature in a lot of packaging at the moment, but we’re seeing a shift away from them as more businesses are looking to take the eco responsibility on themselves instead of putting it all on their customer to deal with. But, if you want to go one step further, take a look at the holy grail of eco friendly packaging materials:

The Good

What you’ve all been waiting for, the packaging materials which are doing their bit to give packaging a good name once again. These materials all tick the eco-friendly box from the get-go; they’re all plastic free, sustainably sourced, and even compostable. Let’s take a look at what we’re talking about:

Paper

So, unsurprisingly, paper has made it into the list of good packaging materials. It’s versatile, it’s reliable, and it’s sustainably sourced so it’s super eco friendly. Paper is one of the easiest to recycle materials and it is done so widely throughout the UK. With more businesses turning their attention away from polythene classics and instead looking to paper replacements, and given that paper is recyclable, biodegradable, sustainably sourced, plastic free, AND compostable, it’s a no brainer.

Cardboard

As cardboard is made from paper, it is also an absolutely awesome packaging material. It’s stronger than paper so is suitable for more applications and sending a wider variety of products, and is just as eco friendly. There’s no limit on possibilities with cardboard packaging, whether it’s the more standard boxes or envelopes, or even if you’re looking to go plastic free with your void fill, you could swap bubble wrap for corrugated cardboard rolls.

Starch

Yes, that’s right: starch. Potato starch in particular has proved to be an excellent packaging material for those seeking an eco-friendly alternative to polythene or polystyrene; it’s recyclable, biodegradable, completely plastic free, and compostable too. Polystyrene packing peanuts are increasingly getting replaced by starch equivalents, and starch based mailing bags are even increasing in popularity now, particularly with magazine sellers, such as Which?, as they’re easily compostable. Starch packaging is an all-round excellent material which we’ll definitely be seeing more of in the months and years to come.

And there we have it, the good, the bad, and the ugly of packaging materials. If you are currently using polystyrene, oxo-degradable plastic, or PVC, it’s worth starting your move away from these materials now so you’ve got the time to find the best possible alternative which works for your business and your budget. Whilst HDPE, PET, polythene, and bubble wrap get a bad name, it’s important to remember that the only thing that makes them bad is how they’re handled. These materials are all recyclable, but your customers will only know that if you tell them. If you want to go for something more obviously eco friendly with paper, cardboard, or starch, the world is your oyster as there are so many options available to you nowadays.

Are you using any of ‘the ugly’ packaging materials in your operation? Do you agree that they should be banned? What have you found to be the best eco-friendly material for your business? Let us know!