Option 2 – Reuse and Refill – Sustainable Packaging

The following actions, individually or collectively, will contribute to achieving the outcomes of reducing the environmental impacts of secondar and tertiary packaging thru the adoption of reuse and refill formats.

Available Courses of Action

Action 1 – Consider Reusable Packaging Solutions

Action 1 – Consider Reusable Packaging Solutions

Reusable packaging provides an innovative approach to reducing the environmental impact of single use packaging. Although logistics and other operational considerations are frequently identified as a key challenge to adopting reusable packaging, the historical acceptance of reusable packaging is driving a resurgence in exploring this sustainable packaging alternative.

The following use case(s) provide examples of where reusable packaging has been demonstrated.

Use Cases

Use Case	Innovation	Application	Release to Market
IFCO RPCs	Pooled system of traceable reusable packaging containers (RPCs)	Fruit and Vegetables, Organics, Bakery, Dairy & Eggs, Meat, Fish	1992
Envirowrapper	Reusable Pallet Wrap	Carbonated and non-carbonated beverage, any palletized product	1998
DelMonte	Pooled reusable plastic container (RPC) for bananas replaces single-use corrugated box	Bananas	2023

Image
Project	IFCO RPCs
Brand(s)		Growers: Algoma Orchards, Vineland Growers, BC Tree Fruit, BC Fresh Vegetables, ATV Farms, Procyk Farms, Mucci Farms, Westmoreland Processors: Veg-Pro & Ippolito; Retailers: Loblaw, WM Canada, Metro, Hello Fresh (Canada and US)	Packaged Product(s)	Fruit and Vegetables, Organics, Bakery, Dairy & Eggs, Meat, Fish
Market(s)		Global	Release to Market(s)	1992
Manufacturer		IFCO	Material(s)	Various types of high-density polypropylene (HDPP) container
Summary	Complies with GDR#8: switch to reuse and using post-consumer recycled content – containers removed from circulation sent to container manufacturer, smart tech removed, containers recycled, feedstock used in new containers: company reports the average reutilization of recycled material content in crates increased to 27% in 2022 Global supplier with high levels of European produce sector adoption; on-the-ground Canadian support, including wash centre operations. Easy to build-up containers, no equipment needed. Supplier reports containers not affected by moisture during wash cycles; claims better ventilation, product cooling Supplier reports containers built to flex, resist breaking, chipping, shattering, and that product protection (i.e., food waste prevention) is better than alternatives (see p.19 in LCA). Wash process and all containers approved for use in certified organic operations under USDA National Organic Program (recognized in Canada). Environmental monitoring program to ensure wash and sanitization processes meet industry standards, and FDA/EPA regulations, for containers used for food product transport: includes ATP testing, environmental swabs by independent lab. Supplier has all data required for CanadaGap food safety audits for fresh fruit and vegetables Every new container made with smart technology: embedded RFID, 2D data bar; human-readable code Supplier reports cost-competitiveness with alternatives. Meta-LCA findings in this report indicate preferability of reuse systems, compared to single-use systems.
References	ESG Report (2022) https://www.umsicht.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/umsicht/en/documents/publications/2022/Reusable-plastics-vs-single-use-cardboard.pdf (2017) https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170316005124/en/New-Study-Confirms-IFCO-Reusable-Plastic-Containers-are-the-Sustainable-Choice-for-Fresh-Produce-Packaging https://www.thepacker.com/news/foodservice/ifco-reusable-packaging-containers-help-hellofresh-pursue-efficiency (2022) https://zerowasteeurope.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ZWE_-Pool-Systems-Policy-Briefing.docx.pdf

Supporting Resources

Useful resources to consider as you explore applying one or more of the above actions to secondary and tertiary packaging include:

General Information

Stretch Wrap Alternatives 2021
CHEP
In January 2021, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation initiated the Stretch Wrap Alternative Project (SWAP) — including ten companies from its network, to test a commercially viable and geographically scalable circular alternatives to linear stretch wrap, focusing on reuse, recycling, and composting.
The Reuse Portal 2022
United Nations Environment Programme, World Wildlife Fund and the World Economic Forum
This is an open collaborative platform providing users access to practical guidance, tools and networks to take action and drive momentum for reuse solutions. The platform is still underdevelopment and will be released in phases during 2023/24.

Image
Project	Envirowrapper
Brand(s)		Bollore Logistics, Purolator, Pepsi Frito-Lay Canada, Save-on-Foods	Packaged Product(s)	Carbonated and non-carbonated beverage, any palletized product
Market(s)		Global	Release to Market(s)	1998
Manufacturer		Amici Enterprises Inc. (Trademark – Envirowrapper – The Reusable Pallet Wrapper)	Material(s)	Extruded woven 100% polypropylene wrap
Summary	Complies with GDR#8: switch to reuse models Manufacturer reports that Envirowrapper does not cling to other pallets, which reduces rips, pulling and tipping. Key to success is storing/locating wraps in the right place to make it easy for loaders; whole team on the floor needs to be trained on how the system works. Manufacturer estimates pay-back period for up-front investment at roughly 6 months if used daily; with proper use and care designed for approximately 3 to 5 years of use. Can be recycled at end-of-life A 2021 life cycle assessment (see SWAP report below) found that a reusable pallet wrap solution (similar to Envirowrapper) passed ISTA transit tests, and offered a break-even point at approximately 50 uses, compared to a 100% virgin linear stretch wrap. SWAP report notes: “reusable solutions can be scaled most easily when used in a closed loop supply chain and logistics system, and/or there are methods to track the movement of the wraps to ensure that they are reused in open loop systems.”
References	Stretch Wrap Alternative Project (SWAP)

Image
Project	DelMonte
Brand(s)		Fresh Del Monte	Packaged Product(s)	Bananas
Market(s)		US (Texas)	Release to Market(s)	2023
Manufacturer		Arena Packaging	Material(s)	Reusable Plastic Container
Summary	Complies with GDR#8: switching to reuse models Provider reports containers increase banana shelf life by improving air flow, improve product appearance, and reduce the overall handling required. Containers are trackable, and provider reports they improve pallet shipping density, and are repairable. Provider claims that the containers reduce the carbon footprint by 90% over a traditional corrugated banana carton – more information required to validate under what conditions this would be true.
References	https://www.fruitnet.com/main-navigation/del-monte-reveals-banana-rpc-collaboration/257003.article