Global packaging manufacturer Owens-Illinois, Inc. (O-I), presented its complete Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study at the China Safe & Sustainable Packaging Summit in Hangzhou, China in mid-March 2011. Dealing in-depth with cradle-to-cradle life cycle data regarding glass, aluminium & Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) containers, O-I's LCA shows that glass has the most favourable carbon footprint. O-I's LCA also shows that using recycled glass directly reduces carbon emissions, which is validated by sustainability research firm AMR Research. Every 10% of recycled glass used in production cuts carbon emissions by about 5% & reduces energy use by about 3%. Moreover, transporting finished glass containers makes up for only a small portion (4-5%) of the total carbon footprint of glass packaging. "Sustainable packaging is becoming a critical consideration for food and beverage industries in Asia Pacific. O-I's LCA enables a true comparison between packaging materials as it details the complete life of a package - from the extraction of raw materials to the reuse or recycling of the container," said presenter Steve Bourke, Regional Environmental and Risk manager, O-I Asia Pacific. "The focus on sustainable packaging in China is expected to grow due to environmental awareness, government initiatives and an increasing population. Glass is not only the consumer choice for taste, purity and safety, it's also 100% recyclable, forever."
