Milk Packaging In Australia: A Case Study In Environmental Priorities

This paper reports on the findings of a research project entitled ‘A comparative environmental study of packaging alternatives for liquid-food products’. The study reviewed environmental impacts associated with milk containers used in Australia. An absolute ranking of environmental impact was deemed not possible. This is due to the shoratge of available data, and to the fact that such a ranking would involve judgements as to the relative importance of different environmental indicators. However, on the basis of most, but not all, indicators, the traditional re-usable glass bottle with a trip rate exceeding 25 or 30 was judged the least environmentally damaging. The single-use (‘recyclable’) glass bottle was judged the worst option environmentally. High-density polyethylene bottles and paperboard cartons and briks lay in between. Comment is made on the significance of the findings. In broader perspective, the reductions in environmental impact from changing packaging options are small, indeed trivial. Equally or more significant reductions in impact can be achieved in areas other than container choice. Methodological problems are discussed.