MATERIALS / RECYCLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 26 No. 03/25 www.petpla.net 14 PET packaging shows superior environmental performance, Brazilian report claims Life cycle assessment of PET bottles and liquid foods A comprehensive study and analysis of PET and other packaging materials claims that PET is the most environmentally friendly material available and is often very much more sustainable than aluminium, glass or steel. The report – “Lifecycle Assessment of PET Packaging for Liquid Foods” – looked at the entire value chain, from extraction of raw materials to recycling and including manufacturing, transportation, processing, end of life treatment and incidental pollution. The report was commissioned and produced by ABIPET, the Brazilian Association for the PET industry, which is obviously interested in promoting PET. However, the analysis was detailed, scrupulously researched and dispassionate, and subjected to independent review to internationallyrecognised standards. The methodology is clearly explained, open and transparent. While the study was exclusively focused on Brazil and primarily intended for use by its food and beverage sector, it has information and data that can be of use in other countries across the world. Higher performance in key areas The headline findings were that PET performs better than the alternative materials in six key areas: Climate change; Acidification; Land Occupation; Particulate Material; Ecotoxicity; and Water Consumption. The advantage in some areas is quite significant; PET’s potential for production of particulate materials, for example, is up to 98% less than that of glass and very nearly as much (97%) less than aluminium. Specific details are reproduced below. A further six areas were studied, which were: Ozone Depletion; Eutrophication (the excessive enrichment and stimulation of water, leading to algal blooms and overproduction of plant life); Human Toxicity; Photochemical Ozone Formation; Mineral Resources Depletion; and Fossil Fuels Depletion. Methodology The study used the new PET Packaging Life Cycle inventory, which was developed by teams at Brazil’s Food Technology Institute’s Packaging Technology Centre, which is linked to a government body, the State of São Paolo’s Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply. The inventory enabled an accurate comparison between types of packaging; the study was conducted by ACV Brasil, a firm that specialises in consulting and critical review services for life cycle assessments and circular economy study, as well as support for environmental labelling, software licensing and training. The study took several years to prepare and conduct. It required – and gained – the participation of leading players across the industry, including PET resin and packaging manufacturers, bottlers and distributers, plus distribution and marketing companies as well as producers like Amcor, CocaCola, Danone, Heineken, Indorama, PepsiCo and Cargill. A full list is given in the box-out. The life cycle assessment, when completed, was presented for critical review by experts in their field from major universities in Brazil, which helped to ensure that the results and conclusions were in accordance with the quality requirements of ABNT NBR ISO 14040: 2009 and 14040:2006 standards. The project broke new ground in the Brazilian food and beverage industry and broader environment, in terms of its breadth and technical content. It deliberately set out to bring scientific insight and rigour to bear on the entire environmental debate, as it relates to packaging. It now provides the whole market, from producers and supply chain all the way through to consumers, with the information necessary to genuinely informed debate. It means that decisions on environmental issues can be taken on technical and scientifically acceptable bases and helps the industry and market to move avoid mere guesswork and eliminate reliance on publications paid for by commercial interests and skewed towards promoting those interests.
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