Responsible packaging… by BARILLA

In my ideal Mulino ... The biscuit packs? Put them with the paper!

The theme of environmental protection and recycling is very dear to Barilla, the company having committed itself, as part of its plans to further sustainability (details are available at www.gruppobarilla.it), to ensuring that by 2014, 95% of the packaging it places on the market will be technically recyclable.

The project to make its biscuit packs recyclable is part of this scheme, and after months of trials in order verify that the new solution ensures the freshness and preservation of content, the first products that can boast this important innovation are the Mulino Bianco Gemme di Grano, Fiori di Latte and Segreti di Bosco biscuit packs.

Here too biscuit packs are constituted by two laminated materials, the outer layer of paper and the inner one of metallized plastic film (polypropylene) which ensures the airtight closure of the pack and the protection of the product: in the new packs the amount of plastic material used has been decreased, a move compensated with an increase in the amount of paper, thus making the pack recyclable in the paper recycling circuit (the most widespread according to the data of the National Packaging Consortium).

The effective recycling of this material was verified step by step through appropriate tests, performed in collaboration with specialized external institutions: the tests confirmed that the solution can be recycled under normal recycling processes.
Via Life Cycle Assessment Barilla also verified the environmental benefits resulting from the change in composition of the material used.
In this way the appropriate labeling on the pack indicates the transition from the "gray bin" to the "green bin": performing the correct segregated collection, the consumer ensures the paper waste is turned back into paper.

The “good packaging” proposal continues. After having collected together in a volume various instances of optimization of paper and cardboard packaging, Comieco is encouraging companies to transmit the improvements adopted fulfilling the shared definition of “responsible packaging”*.

* For “RESPONSIBLE” is meant packaging that feature qualities that combine environmental safety, respect of the needs of all users and improvement of economic, social and cultural aspects.

Laura Badalucco
176 pagine, 14,00 euro, Edizioni Dativo Srl
in vendita on line su http://libri.packmedia.net