Sustainable Flexible Packaging

Sustainable Flexible Packaging Defined

Criteria for determining the sustainability of packaging:

• Is beneficial, safe & healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle
• Meets market criteria for performance and cost
• Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy
• Optimizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials
• Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices
• Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy
• Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial closed loop cycles

*The above information is in no certain order.
Source: Sustainable Packaging Coalition

Sustainable Flexible Packaging at Eagle

Reducing the amount of material used to package your product is a great first step to lowering the negative impact it can have on the environment. The lightweight preformed pouch products and roll stock from Eagle Flexible Packaging provide a higher product-to-package ratio, help create fewer emissions during transportation and take up less space in landfills after use. We offer a wide variety of eco-friendly packing material solutions to help brands take the next step forward as compostable and recyclable packaging innovators.

Compostable Packaging
The compostable packaging materials we use are ASTM D6400 certified. New biopolymers are ever evolving and being developed each day. We’re continually researching and working with our trusted suppliers to offer customers various options to create a functional package that meets their sustainable packaging needs.

Recyclable Packaging
A product or package that can be collected, separated, or otherwise recovered from the waste stream through an established recycling program for reuse or use in manufacturing or assembling another item. Source: Federal Trade Commission

From Renewable Packaging
At Eagle, we offer the technical assistance needed to develop a renewable package. This term means that the raw materials (in whole or part) used to create the packaging, are derived from a natural resource and/or, a resource that can be renewed, such as wood pulp.

Post-Consumer Recycled Content (PCR)

A more recent development in sustainable packaging films is the utilization of PCR content in the film structure’s polyethylene and/or polyester components. Adding recycled content to the film structure derives the following additional benefits:

• Addresses important sustainability goals
• Addresses evolving statewide Extended Producer Responsibilities (EPR) requirements
• “Pull Through” effect in recycling streams by increasing recycling participation and investment
• Advantageous environmental Life Cycle Analysis (LCA):
  • Reduced emissions
  • Reduced water usage
  • Reduced electricity consumption
  • Reduced fossil fuel extraction

Recyclable Material Symbols

Polyethylene Terephthalate	High-density Polyethylene	Polyvinyl Chloride	Low-density Polyethylene	Polypropylene	Polystyrene	Other Plastics
• Plastic Soft Drinks • Water • Sports Drinks • Salad Dressing • Vegetable Oil • Bottles • Peanut Butter • Pickles • Jelly • Mouthwash • Food Trays	• Milk Jugs • Juice Bottles • Yogurt Tubs • Butter Tubs • Cereal Liners • Grocery Bags • Cleaner Bottles • Motor Oil Bottles	• Clear Food Packaging • Wire/Cable Insulation • Pipe Fittings • Siding • Flooring • Fencing • Children’s Toys • Lawn Chairs	• Bread • Frozen Food • Dry Cleaning Bags • Squeezable Bottles • Dispensing Bottles • 6 Pack Rings •Various Molded Laboratory Equipment	• Bottle Caps • Dishware • Ketchup Bottles • Medicine Bottles • Most Yogurt Tubs • Syrup Bottles • Straws • Some Auto Parts • Packaging Tape • Pails	• Disposable Plates • Cutlery • Cafeteria Trays • Meat Trays • Egg Cartons • Carry Out Containers • Aspirin Bottles • CD/DVD Cases • Packaging Peanuts • Other Styrofoam Products	• Citrus Juice Bottles • 3/5 Gallon Water Jugs • Plastic Lumber • Headlight Lenses • Safety Glasses • Gas Containers • Bullet Proof Materials • Acrylic • Nylon • Polycarbonate • Combinations of Different Plastics

Eagle’s Most Commonly Used Recyclable Materials

High-density Polyethylene	Low-density Polyethylene	Polypropylene

Recyclable Food Packaging
A package made of either LLDPE or HDPE may be recycled at certain retail locations. Most flexible packaging is generally not recyclable, but certain retailers have receptacles for plastic shopping bags, overwraps and other clean, non-contaminated plastics (particularly, plastics packaging that has not had direct food contact).

Compostable – Biodegradable

Biodegradable:“The term “biodegradable” refers to a material’s ability to decompose via microbial activity. Biodegradability and composability both refer to a package’s end-of-life.”

Compostable:
“The term “compostable” refers to a material’s ability to biodegrade within a sufficiently short amount of time in the conditions of a composting operation. Many biodegradable products are not compostable, and the terms should not be considered to be equivalent.”

Source: Sustainable Packaging Coalition

Compostable and Biodegradable Material Options

Our eco-friendly films offer a wide variety of barrier options for food and non-food products in single and multi-layer compositions in various thicknesses.

Clear White Metalized

From Renewable Packaging

Current bio-based and natural resources that serve as renewable feedstocks in packaging include crops like sugar cane which are used in the production of bioplastics and various trees are, of course, used to produce virgin paper fibers Traditionally, and appropriately so, in order for a renewable package to be designated as such, the contents should come from well-managed sources (e.g., FSC certified paper fibers. A large majority of our compostable packaging also falls into this category.

Source: Reclay StewardEdge

Material Standards

The eco-friendly materials that Eagle sources are subjected to and comply with various testing methods.

• ASTM D6400
• ASTM D6866
• FSC™ (Forest Stewardship Council™) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification)
• FDA Compliant for Food Contact
• EN 13432
• OK Compost HOME
• ISO 1133

For additional information, please click on the Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s links below:

101: Biobased, Biodegradable, Compostable
101: What is recyclability?
101: Resin Identification Codes