Life Below Earth Booklet - Flipbook - Page 14
LET’S TALK ABOUT
PACKAGING CHOICES
Material
Pros
• Naturally decomposes
over time
Paper
• 4 times as much energy
to create a paper bag
• Easily branded
• Recyclable
than a plastic bag
• Moisture damage
• Sustainable
• Global deforestation
• Durable
• Pollution of ecosystems
• Hygienic
• Strong
• Waterproof
Plastic
Cons
• Light weight
• Great versatility
through land昀椀lls
and litter
• Non-biodegradable
• Dependency on fossil fuels
Minimising waste and utilising materials which have a smaller impact on the environment is
at the forefront of SMI’s ESG strategy, with packaging and products being a key driver. One
of the longest-standing debates when looking at sustainable packaging is whether plastic or
cardboard is better for the environment. While cardboard is biodegradable (unlike plastic,
which can remain in ecosystems for much longer) it still contributes to deforestation and has
a higher carbon intensity during production. In fact, plastic often has a lower environmental
impact in terms of manufacturing making it less resource-intensive to produce compared
to cardboard. However, when looking at the end-of-life treatment of these materials it is a
very di昀昀erent story. Cardboard if not recycled is put to land昀椀ll, breaking down and releasing
chemicals such as methane during the decomposing process - contributing to global
warming. Whereas when plastic materials end up at land昀椀ll the degradation process is over
a longer period and a high percentage of plastics 昀椀nds its way to the ocean and seas, thus
harming marine wildlife and ecosystems.
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