Sustainable is Good: The Sustainable Packaging Source

Excessive Packaging: Hewlett Packard Sends 32 Pieces of Paperwork to Customer in 17 Boxes

2008-07-23T09:19:27-04:00

In one of the more remarkable examples of excessive packaging we've seen, the technology site The Register in the UK posted a piece on an example of excessive packaging from Hewlett Packard (HP).

HP mailed 32 individual pieces of paperwork in a very large box. Inside the large box were sixteen (16) individual smaller boxes each containing 2 pieces of paperwork wrapped in foam padding. A total of seventeen (17) boxes were used to mail thirty-two (32) pieces of paperwork.

We have not seen a response to the story from HP. The example is certainly one of the most egregious we've seen. Who has ever heard of shipping paperwork in such a fashion?

EXCESSIVE PACKAGING: If you have examples of excessive packaging we'd like to hear about it. Contact us by email.

Photos via: The Register

Coopbox NaturalBox PLA Fresh Food Packaging

2008-07-21T05:00:00-04:00

Italian fresh food packaging company Coopbox has carved a niche with its NaturalBox line of Ingeo PLA tray packaging. Designed for fresh meats and vegetables the packaging is being used for a number of applications in Europe.

Packaging World reported Coopbox's NaturalBox packaging has been available since 2005 and is currently used for fresh meat and fish packaging throughout Europe.

The PLA tray can be wrapped with a stretch film or a PLA-based film for a 100% biodegradable packaging solution.

“When the tray is used with PLA,” Coopbox's Cesare Vannini told Packaging World, “it is possible to obtain a 100-percent biodegradable solution. The system is suitable for protective atmosphere packaging of fresh foods with a shelf life of up to 15 days.”

NaturalBox trays with PLA lidstock are currently being used for several European fresh-food applications, including organic chicken (pictured) from Bodin, the largest poultry supplier in Europe; easy-peel, jumbo, ready-to-eat prawns from U.K. seafood company Dawnfresh Seafoods; and processed meat from Fresh Concept in Belgium.

Nextgen Vending to Distribute Earthpure Organics PLA Eco-Water Bottles

2008-07-16T05:00:00-04:00

Earthpure Organics, a sister company of Nextgen Vending has launched a new line of renewable, biodegradable PLA water bottles called Eco-Water bottles.

The new 16.9 oz. water bottles will be distributed nationally by Nextgen Vending.

Nextgen Vending specializes in delivering organic snack and beverage products to schools, hospitals, airports, fitness centers, corporate facilities and other retail markets via custom vending kiosks.

The Eco-Water bottle is made from a renewable resource, corn based PLA, that is also fully offset with EPA/ BEF (Bonneville Environmental Foundation) wind power “Green Tags” – the bottle is fully biodegradable, recyclable, and fully carbon offset.

“We are extremely proud to be the first vending operator in the United States to offer a socially responsible choice for water bottles” says Paul Frantellizzi, managing partner of Earthpure Organic.

“This corn-based PLA bio-bottle with the addition of a 100% carbon offset commitment, is a compelling first step toward resolving growing concerns about petroleum based bottles overwhelming our landfills”.

Earthpure's Eco-Water bottle joins North Carolina's Primo Water as the only two known companies using PLA for individual water bottle packaging in the US.