CAT: Center of Alternative Technology Visit

1. Hemp and Lime insulator.
- Hemp storks act like insulators as they are full of gaps filled with air. Lime is holding the heat.
- I have seen houses (roofs and walls) made out of hemp, but not with a mixture of lime and hemp.
-(Recycled plastic wall was a good example of innovative use of materials, but I unfortunately have no pictures uploaded)

A water powered lift.
- Pumping water is the way to go up and down without any electricity needed.
- I have seen another water powered lift previously

The interior of the CAT's cafe.
- Simple interior, designed of natural colour walls and furniture.
- Smart roof window, covering the main area of the cafe.

Andy Stevenson and Jo Gwillim talking.

Workshops.
- Had a chance to see usual and unusual insulators and building materials.
- Had a chance to see and calculate how much energy they could save along with other materials, that we use nowadays (plastic, metal, etc.)
- Unfortunately it gave us an idea of housing/ building materials that save energy, and only a hint about packaging materials.

 A couple of the most interesting and curious exhibits and displays.
- From information about Zero Carbon Britain to wind seat and Mole Caves, probably anything could have been found in there.

Center of Alternative Technology

Research Task

1. London Bio Packaging: http://www.londonbiopackaging.com/

A. How many take away meals were consumed over the course of the 

games?

14.000.000 take away meals 

B. How much waste to landfill were Olympics organisers expecting to have 

to go to landfill?

8.5 000 tons

C. How'many'pieces'of'packaging'were'needed'for'the'games'and'by'

supplying'these'what'did'LBF'help'the'games'achieve?'

120.000.000 pieces. Helped achieve zero waist during the Olympic games.

D. Take'a'moment'to'look'around'their'site'further.'How'many'stages'are'

there'in'their'‘closed'loop’'system?'What'happens'at'each'stage?'

5. 

1. Supply. Arranging the audit to look at the packaging requirements and supplying with either recyclable or biodegradable products. 

2. Dispose. disposing of the item either into recycling, composting or general waste bins. 

3. Collect. LBP arranges the waste collection using either your existing waste contractor or their waste contractor. 

4. Process. The waste goes into the right facility and get recycled or composted.

5. Re-use. The compost created is used for agriculture to help grow new crops and the recycled material is reprocessed and made into new products. 

E. Look'further'around'their'site.'LBP'use'a'range'of'materials'7'what'are'

bioplastics?'Is'there'anything'that'can'explain'further'the'oil'and'carbon'

savings?'

BioPlastics, 

Plant Starch,

Sugar Bagasse,

Recycled Plastic,

Recycled Paper,

Forest Wood,

Palm Leaf.

Further oil and carbon could be completely replaced by Bioplastics, made from plants without any oil materials, this way lessening the carbon footprint and using less non-renewable energy than traditional plastics like PET.

F. What'is'PSM'and'what'are'it’s'key'properties?'

Plant Starch Material. A flexible bio based material, ideal for food industry. 

G. What'is'sugar'bagasse'and'how'might'it'be'turned'into'packaging?'

A waste material produced once sugar cane has been harvested for the sugar syrup. It is turned into packaging products from its raw form using a process of heating, pulping and then pressurised moulding. 

H. Pick'one'other'material'listed'and'explain'what'it'is'and'what'it’s'key'

properties'and'considerations'are.'

Palm Leaf. 100% natural, compostable and biodegradable - tough and heat resistant. No starch, pulp needed, it is only washed and pressed together and formed into packaging. Various colours and thickness.  

2. WRAP: http://www.wrap.org.uk/



A. Who'are'Wrap'and'what'do'they'do?'

WRAP is a company that works in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to help businesses, local authorities, communities and individuals reap the benefits of reducing waste, developing sustainable products and using resources in an efficient way.


D. Look'at'section'4:'Design'for'Re7Use,'Recycling'and'Recovery.''

E. Describe'3'key'considerations'within ‘design for re-use'.

• re-usable packaging must be made as convenient as possible for clients to return the empties.
• packaging must be strong to stay with the end-user.
• ee-usable packaging benefits the environment only if it is actually returned for re-use.

F. Describe'3'key'considerations'within'‘design'for'recycling’.

• Construct your packaging so that the end-user can easily separate any components that should not go into the recycling process.
• Try to design your packaging so that minimum product residues remain when the used packaging is collected for recycling.
• Ensure that you don’t create new compatibility problems if you change the coatings, adhesives, inks, labels, closures and other sealing materials that were selected at the design stage.

G. Describe'how'effective'Metal,'Glass,'Paper'and'Board'and'Plastics'are'and'

which'of'these'may'achieve'the'‘best’'award'for'recyclability.'

Metal packaging, both steel and aluminium, has a high recycled
content, and this has no effect on functional performance.

Glass packaging also has a high recycled content and this has no

effect on functional performance. The surplus tends to

be recycled into low-value applications, such as aggregate, that may

not be as environmentally beneficial as bottle-to-bottle recycling.

Paper and board packaging for non-food contact use contains

high levels of recycled content. However, paper packaging with a

high recycled content may have to be heavier than packaging made

from virgin fibres. This is because each time fibres are recycled,

they lose strength so more fibres are needed to achieve the same

level of protection.

Metal wins the highest level of recyclability, as it has no effect on functional performance. Whereas glass has issues with colour and paper  & board looses the strength.

3. INCPEN: http://www.incpen.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB09rDeRxJo'

B. After'watching'the'video, where do you stand on packaging in

supermarkets?'Is'it'a'good'thing'or'bad?'Are'there'ways'in'which'it'could'

be'improved'(if'‘yes’'then'how?).

It is both. Good and bad. It is good, that it keeps our food fresh for longer, but certainly bad, because we are facing an issue which is literally a physical mountain of rubbish. And it is getting bigger and bigger. There is always a way to reduce packaging, including plastic (replaced into bioplastic), paper (replaced by recycled paper) and styrofoam (replaced by mushroom self-assembling fiber).


C. Do'you'know'what'you'can'recycle'domestically'after'you’ve'eaten/drank'

all'those'goods'you'(or'family)'buy'from'supermarkets?'Does'your'

Council'offer-up'options'and'if'so'then'what'are'they?'

The council offers to recycle paper and plastic.



4. ECO PAINTS:

First watch these videos:

A. Intro to'"green"eco-friendly paints. Auro paints:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhmJTb0VfUY&list=PL63EC4D418F

B4E979

• Has natural appearance of colour, smell and touch compared to massive DIY stores, that sell plastic-like materials
• Auro uses natural raw plant and mineral materials to make paint since 1983. 
• Auro paints are biodegradable. Free of emissions and unpleasant smells and toxic materials.  

B. Eco- Paints
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/feb/09/eco-natural-paints-guide-best

• Generally, plant-based, water-borne paints are the best buy, followed by plant-based, solvent-borne ones with natural solvents. Try to avoid those using titanium dioxide.

• Eco- paints contain natural ingredients and, very often, low-carbon or carbon-neutral production and the ability to compost any leftover paint.

• Because they are microporous, they're ideal for walls in older houses, which need to breathe. 

C. Farrow & Ball
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGxYBPiZf_A

• The video did not inform me of anything relevant, only that they are an interior designer-like company.

• The company claims to be using the opposite of acrylic paints with high levels of plastic, though there is no information about their paints and the materials used.
  
  
  

5. Food for thought:

A. Coke and packaging
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7vny5zLhp0

• 5.5 ml dumpster trucks in the UK waist goes to landfill every year
• Coca Cola is using 30% less plastic than 10 years ago
• Coca Cola cans are made from 100% recycled material

B. Clever Little Bag
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwRulz8hPKI

• Clever little bag reduced Puma's cardboard waste by 65%
•  It will save 8036 tons of paper and 20 MJ of electricity
• Carbon Dioxide is reduced by 10000 tons/

C. UPS Courier – Sustainable Packaging video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcX3EWc_Z6c

• Packaging is necessary for a product to arrive to shops safe.
• Reducing packaging material means transporting more at once.
• Sustainable packaging means less energy used without drop of quality

D. Plastic wine container:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to2d4JFBSC4

• The pouch is filled with CO2 gas before filling it with wine to open it up
• The CO2 is pushed out of the pouch when the wine is poured in.
• Very light, air tight, no glass used.

E. Coke Plant Bottle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzO_7sp8ce4

•  The bottle is made with up to 22.5% plant based material (Brazilian sugar cane)
• and 25% recycled plastic
• By 2020 they are hoping to make all product packaging plant based

F. Local sustainable packager:
http://www.biopac.co.uk/

• Supplier of eco friendly packaging and catering disposables

• 100% biodegradable packaging can be composted and broken down completely in less than 12 weeks 

• Their solution is to use biodegradable disposables and packaging items that decompose naturally and with no harmful effects on the environment.

Edward Bulmer - Pots of Paint initial sketch ideas for sustainable packaging

E. Bulmer is an interior designer, who has been handling paint business for 30-40 years. They have already got 50 natural looking colours, which are called historic colours.

The paints are water/solvent and oil based, and that means they are using two kinds of packaging - plastic for solvent based and metal for oil based paints. Moreover the secondary packaging is being used to protect the tin and plastic with corn starch around them, so they would not move.

The company, that is based in the UK, has to get the paints form Germany or Sweden, after the manufacturers from these countries get the packaging from Poland. There is a lot of ground to cover and the carbon footprint is even too scary to calculate.
And what happens if there is a spill? We had to think about the paint.

As E. Bulmer's product manager Peter Lawley mentioned that premium paint companies still expect tin cans for packaging as a norm.
But there are a lot of issues with tin cans:

• They tent do roll around when being transported
• They tend to get dents - that means cannot be displayed on the shelf
• They rust 
• Cannot be refilled
• Can be recycled, though have quite an impact on earth

There is no way tin cans should be reintroduced to the Pots of Paint. There are so many ways to go beyond metal nowadays, that it is just silly to stick to the option we have known for decades. Especially when the company's wealth is in interest.

As I decided to move from tin cans and  plastic quite radically, I began to research various alternatives to liquid packaging:

Started from compostable food packaging: 

"Eatware products come in a variety of shapes and sizes, can safely hold oils and water, be stored in the fridge, are microwave-safe, AND are 100% compostable. Eatware is made of 100% natural fibers from bamboo, sugar cane pulp, starch and water- and no chemical additives! While there are several biodegradable food container companies on the market, some potato starch based; some corn starch based, Eatware is among the most durable and safe- decomposable in the compost and dispersed in water in just two weeks."

How Dell Turned Bamboo and Mushrooms Into Environmental-Friendly Packaging:

"At Dell, the sustainability team, working with suppliers and recyclers, has developed new compostable packaging materials made from bamboo and mushrooms. As John Pflueger, Principal Environmental Strategist, says, “It’s absolutely amazing.”"

Mushrooms and bamboo? Dell delves into packaging alternatives:

"Dell didn't come up with the whole mushroom cushion idea itself. Its partner in the ongoing pilot is Ecovative Design, a company from Green Island, N.Y., developing new materials derived from mycelium, which it likens to a "living polymer.""


EcoFeutre. Natural Packaging - Info telling us that paper does not only have to be made from wood:

"All additives used in the production process to provide molded cellulose with mechanical properties, either physical or for special purposes, are entirely biodegradable. For instance, it is a natural glue which is used to strengthen the fibers. This way more recycled (short) fibers can be used in packaging production."


As well as this - GreenBottle:

Completely biodegradable, lighter in weight, keeps the drinks cold, and contains any kind of liquid.

GreenBottle is made from 2 components

1. A moulded outer shell made from either virgin or preferably recycled paper / cardboard. The bottles can be moulded to the same shape as most plastic equivalents.
2. A loose plastic inner liner that the consumer separates from the cardboard outer to recycle separately.

This approach is enviromentally superior because:

• The cardboard outer can go into the mainstream recycling streams and can then be used to make other recycled cardboard products.
• The outer shell can itself be made from 100% recycled material
• Cardboard recycling rates across Europe are about 69% (European Recovered Paper Council 2010) and paper can be recycled as much as 6 times
• The cardboard shell is made from a renewable and sustainable source.
• The carbon footprint is lower than the competition - in the case of PET and glass, significantly lower.
• The inner liner uses 70% less plastic than a plastic bottle and this figure is set to increase to nearly 80% with our recent technology advances

 Hand made seeded paper: 

"In this section you will find our handmade seeded papers. All of these papers (apart from Lavender) can be used and then planted to produce a variety of different flowers. We are able to offer a bespoke handmade paper making service where you can choose your own colour/shade of paper and seed of your choice."


So, it is pretty clear what options are there to take. All sustainable, lessening the carbon footprint.

1. Multi component molded pulp with inner film liner. Can hold all liquids. 100% recyclable and degradable.
2. Paper made out of bamboo or palm leaf fiber. Can hold all liquids. 100% recyclable and degradable.
3. Hand made seeded paper. May be planted. Good for secondary use. 100% recyclable and degradable. Might be too thin for packaging. Better for labels. 

Packaging ideas:

 

The main idea:

To have an Outer Shell and an Inner Pouch.


Outer Shell. It would be made out of bamboo fibers - 100% biodegradable or recyclable. Packaging shape would be for easier handling and comfortability.

Inner Pouch. Would be made out of completely 100% recyclable plastic. Up to 70% less plastic (#4LDPE plastic, produces low volume waste) vs. plastic bottles. Compatible with standard fillers. Has a cap on top.

Label. Would be made out of seed paper. Easily separated from the packaging. May be planted. Can be printed on or embedded.

Ink. 100% biodegradable ink if used. Otherwise, embedded.

Transportation. The transportation would be in twos. Made out of pulp/ mushroom/ plastic carrying two Inner Pouches from a chosen country to Germany/ Sweden. Imported to the UK when filled. Put into the Outer Shells and transported to shops in the same transportation rack.
The rack could be held in shops, in case a client wants two refills at once.


Refills. It could be refilled in the UK into the same Inner Pouch when brought by a client back to a certain location and used again.

Secondary use. The label could be easily separated from the packaging and planted into the ground, watered and wildflowers/ spices grown.


References:

http://inhabitat.com/compostable-containers-by-eatware/

http://www.prweb.com/releases/biomasspackaging/supermarket-trays/prweb8910691.htm

http://www.excellentpackaging.com/ProductSheets.html

http://c2ccertified.org/news/article/be_green_packagings_packaging_receives_usda_biopreferred_certification

http://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/how-dell-turned-bamboo-and-mushrooms-into-environmental-friendly-packaging/

http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2012/08/02/mushrooms-bamboo-packaging-alternatives?page=0%2C1

http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2010/08/10/mushroom-based-packaging-98-percent-less-energy-styrofoam

http://www.dell.com/learn/us/en/uscorp1/corp-comm/bamboo-packaging

http://www.ecofeutre.com/molded-cellulose/raw-materials/

http://www.greenbottle.com/environment/why-is-greenbottle-better/the-packaging-problem.aspx

http://www.greenbottle.com/our-bottles/wine.aspx

http://www.ecologicbrands.com/our_con.html

http://inhabitat.com/green-packaging/

http://inhabitat.com/bambu-earths-responsible-soap-skincare-is-packaged-with-seeded-paper/