Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22. It’s a great day to increase awareness, make some changes that favor environmental preservation and, in this case, gain some knowledge around how to best determine which changes make a difference.
This blog is about your carbon footprint. When it comes to packaging, how does cardboard compare to expanded polystyrene (EPS)?
As with a lot of environmental considerations, the answer is, it depends. You need to take into account the material weight, the recycled content, end-of-life handling and more to get a full picture of how packaging affects your carbon footprint.
Consider these factors:
Transport Weight: EPS is approximately 98% air, making its mass very low. This results in lower emissions in transport and manufacturing than with cardboard.
Production: The lower mass of EPS also affects its carbon emissions during production. In addition, the production of cardboard is water- and energy-intensive, often amplifying its carbon emissions.
Application: In some products, the use of cardboard packaging results in a higher carbon footprint. For instance, cardboard coolers have about 1.9 times the environmental impact when compared with EPS coolers.
When considering packaging applications, it’s important to note that the material used is closely related to the need for reshipment and product damage. If a cooler doesn’t maintain the right temperature for a medical product, it is far more costly to send a replacement.
End-of-Life: While cardboard is widely recyclable, EPS recycling is growing and more widely available than ever. When considering packaging options, your company may want to consider the convenience with which EPS is now recycled.
Key Considerations
When it comes to choosing the right packaging for your product, the above factors demonstrate that there is good reason to consider EPS. While you may have automatically chosen cardboard packaging in the past, it may be the lesser choice for the environment, depending on your transport and application requirements.
If you’re still sorting through a few questions about the benefits of EPS for your packaging, celebrate Earth Day this year by contacting us at Plastilite. We look forward to the opportunity to talk through your options and assist you with information to make the right decision for your company.