Projects
Results-oriented projects are the heart of the Coalition. SPC projects cover a wide range of activities including exploratory research efforts, development of resources, and long-term management of the SPC's featured projects.
Current Projects
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COMPASS – Comparative Packaging Assessment
COMPASS ® is online design assessment software that allows packaging professionals to compare the environmental impacts of their package designs using a life cycle approach. Read More...
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Essentials of Sustainable Packaging Curriculum
The curriculum
covers the fundamentals of a systems approach to packaging, environmental
information on packaging materials, case studies of design
innovations, and much more. Customized, on-site courses are available.
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How2Recycle Label
The How2Recycle Label was initiated by GreenBlue's Sustainable Packaging Coalition to harmonize communication from industry to consumers on the
recyclability of a package. The soft launch is underway, with ten companies committed. Please visit the how2recycle.info website to learn more. |
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Mineral Oil Migration: Considerations for Food Contact Packaging
This research project includes a literature review and development of a report that will provide a better understanding of the information surrounding claims of mineral oil migrants in food contact packaging.
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International Education and Outreach
The SPC's International Education and Outreach is based on the existing SPC sustainability educational offering, the Essentials of Sustainable Packaging, and is targeted for China and Spanish-speaking Central and South American countries.
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Completed Projects
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Material Health R&D
A working group has been formed to push for greater transparency regarding human and environmental health profiles of substances used in packaging.
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Assessing the Greenhouse Gas Impacts of Biodegradation in Landfills
The SPC has released Assessing The Greenhouse Gas Impacts of Biodegradation in Landfills, which provides an overview of biodegradation in landfills and the resulting positive and negative greenhouse gas impacts.
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Compostable Packaging: The Reality on the Ground
The SPC's report, "Compostable Packaging: The Reality on the Ground," is available for download. It details the results of this project that surveyed a subset of U.S. industrial composting facilities about their acceptance of compostable packaging.
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Guidelines for Recycled Content
The SPC has released Guidelines for Recycled Content in Paper and Paperboard Packaging and Guidelines for Post Consumer Recycled Content in Plastic Packaging, which highlights the opportunities and challenges for using recycled fiber and plastic in common retail packaging applications.
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Sustainable Packaging Indicators and Metrics Framework
How are we doing? A simple question, but the answer entailed nearly two years of extensive research, stakeholder engagement and a comprehensive practices reivew. The project resulted in the release of the Sustainable Packaging Metrics and Indicators Framework.
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Closing the Loop
GreenBlue has released Closing the Loop: Road Map for Effective Material Value Recovery, which provides a detailed systems analysis of international packaging recovery systems, including successful collection, sorting, and reprocessing technologies and infrastructures, as well as the waste management policies that support or limit recycling.
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Environmental Technical Briefs of Common Packaging Materials
Understanding the environmental impacts of common packaging materials is critical to the development of sustainable packaging practices. These reference materials provide general information on the production and use impacts of packaging materials through the lens of sustainability.
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Packaging Design Library
The SPC created an online Packaging Design Library to showcase packaging innovation and solutions that implement sustainability. Included are winners from the leading packaging design award programs. The Library is an educational resource for packaging designers, manufacturers, engineers, students and others seeking examples of how to implement sustainable thinking.
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Design Guidelines for Sustainable Packaging
Innovation through design. The SPC has authored a comprehensive report for use by packaging designers and developers. The Guidelines provide a framework to approach sustainable packaging design, highlighting best practices, adaptable strategies and reference materials.
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Definition of Sustainable Packaging
Environmental concerns related to packaging led the SPC to create a Definition of Sustainable Packaging in 2005 so that all parties are working toward the same vision. This definition has been widely adopted throughout the packaging industry.
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Industry Leadership Committees
Industry Leadership Committees provide an opportunity for SPC members to collaborate on topics of interest, with objectives ranging from discussions and knowledge sharing to development of resources and reports.
Current Industry Leadership Committees
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The Value of Forest Certification
This Industry Leadership Committee works to develop a deeper understanding of economic factors related to increasing certified forest area in North America.
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Flexible Packaging Recovery
This Industry Leadership Committee studies the challenges and opportunities related to recycling and other means of recovery for flexible packaging.
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Healthcare Packaging
This Industry Leadership Committee studies the challenges and opportunities related to making more sustainable packaging for the healthcare industry.
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Meaningful Marketing Claims
This Industry Leadership Committee studies the ways in which marketing professionals can communicate the sustainability attributes of packaging both accurately and meaningfully.
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Foodservice Packaging
This Industry Leadership Committee studies the challenges and opportunities related to making packaging in the foodservice industry more sustainable
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Small Package Recycling
This Industry Leadership Committee studies the challenges and opportunities related to recycling packages with small physical dimensions.
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Inks, Coatings, and Adhesives
This Industry Leadership Committee studies the sustainability considerations relevant to inks, coatings, and adhesives.
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Compostable Packaging
This Industry Leadership Committee explores the challenges and opportunities around the intersection of compostable packaging and sustainability.
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Consumer Outreach & Education
This Industry Leadership Committee investigates consumer messaging and seeks to educate consumers about the role of packaging in sustainability.
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The Role of Packaging in the WBCSD's Vision 2050
This Industry Leadership Committee studies the World Business Council for Sustainable Developments "Vision 2050" report and examines how packaging fits in to this ambitious blueprint for sustainable production systems.
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Transport Packaging
This Industry Leadership Committee studies the role that transport packaging plays in sustainable packaging systems.
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Past Industry Leadership Committees
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Energy Recovery
This Industry Leadership Committee gathered and shared knowledge about energy recovery systems and their viability as a sustainable solution for packaging waste.
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Other Collaborative SPC Initiatives
Occasionally, the SPC engages in initatives that supplement formal projects and Industry Leadership Committees. These initiatives foster a broader understanding of packaging sustainability and require limited GreenBlue staff time.
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Delivering Sustainable Packaging Design Guidance with PAC NEXT & ÉEQ
The SPC has teamed up with Éco Entreprises Québec to co-chair a PAC NEXT project to develop and deliver the next generation of design guidance for more sustainable packaging.
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Scaling Up Composting in the Charlotte Region
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Kids' Science Challenge
The SPC is a partner to the 2011-2012 Kids' Science Challenge, a nationwide competition for third to sixth graders to participate in hands-on learning about science and engineering. One of challenge topics this year is on Zero Waste Packaging.
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