1.
CREATED BY PTR
LEARN MORE AT : www.PackagingTechnologyAndResearch.com
Claire Sand
PACKAGING
TECHNOLOGY &
RESEARCH
Industry
Perspective on
More
Sustainable
Food
Packaging
SUMMER 2021
PTR for Catapult 2021 1

2.
Take-Aways
More sustainable food packaging decreases food waste, minimizes energy used in food
processing, and the overall environmental/social/ impact of feeding people
Industry considers more sustainable packaging sourcing and disposal separately
612.807.5341 / claire@packagingtechnologyandresearch.com / PackagingTechnologyAndResearch.com
Biomass derived PE and PET are being adopted by industry as drop-in solutions
Biomass derived PHA, PLA, Chitosan, and edible polymers have an innovation
opportunity using value chain and systems thinking
PTR for Catapult 2021 2

3.
ABOUT PTR
Dr. Claire Sand
3
Michigan State University
Adjunct professor
CalPoly
Adjunct professor
IUFoST Global
FoodPackaging
Curricula Head
PackagingScience and Technology
Editorial Board
Journal of Food
Science Reviewer
PAC Consortium on
Food Waste
IFT Fellow
Packaging columnist for Food
Technology magazine
612.807.5341 / claire@packagingtechnologyandresearch.com / PackagingTechnologyAndResearch.com
Owner
Affiliations
National Science Foundation
Project Reviewer
Claire Sand is a Global Packaging Leader with 30+ years of
broad experience in the food science and packaging
spectrum. Sand's mission is to enable a more sustainable
food system with science and value chain innovations that
more sustainably increases food shelf life and prevents food
waste. She leads cross-functional efforts, infuses
innovative solutions, provides compelling business and
technology strategies and business cases, and generates
implementation roadmaps for the packaging and food
industry. Claire is Owner and Founder of Packaging
Technology and Research and Gazelle Mobile Packaging and
an Adjunct Professor at Michigan State University
and CalPoly as well as Food Technology’s monthly Packaging columnist and a monthly
contributor to Packaging Digest. She is an IFT Fellow, Riester-Davis-Brody life-time
achievement in food packaging award recipient, serves on numerous Editorial
Boards, is the author of the Packaging Value Chain, and is cochair of pacfoodwaste.
Claire has held previous positions in basic research, development market research, and
marketing in Germany, Colombia, and Thailand and at Total Quality Marketing, Nestle,
General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Safeway, and in academia. Dr. Sand holds a doctorate
degree in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Minnesota and MS and BS
in Packaging from Michigan State University.
PTR for Catapult 2021

4.
612.807.5341 / claire@packagingtechnologyandresearch.com / PackagingTechnologyAndResearch.com
ABOUT PTR
Our Mission
Enhance the
Food & Packaging Industry
with
Science & Value Chain
based
Food Packaging Solutions
Build Innovation
RoadMaps
Technology
Business Case
Building
Tactical
Implementation
Support
Science-based
Infusion
Align Value
Chain
Science-based
Coaching
Prevent Food
Waste
Build Internal
Knowledge
Provide
Science-based
Direction
Solve Package
Sustainability
Puzzle
Screen
Technologies
612.807.5341 / claire@packagingtechnologyandresearch.com / PackagingTechnologyAndResearch.com

5.
A comparative impact of packaging is essential
Sustainability means less food waste and more sustainable packaging
A complete picture of the impact that packaged food has on the environment is needed for perspective
Poore and Nemecek, 2018
612.807.5341 / claire@packagingtechnologyandresearch.com / PackagingTechnologyAndResearch.com
PTR for Catapult 2021 5

6.
https://vcm-international.com/wp-
content/uploads/2021/05/Packaging-and-Food-Waste-Unwrapping-
the-Arguments-FULL-PAPER-051821.pdf
Recent data on comparative impact
PTR for Catapult 2021 6

7.
ABOUT PTR | Where We Work
612.807.5341 / claire@packagingtechnologyandresearch.com / PackagingTechnologyAndResearch.com

8.
More Sustainable Packaging Prevents Food Waste

9.
Consumers do not intuitively select more sustainable packaging
MORE Sustainable Packaging needs to be Science-driven
low environmental impact
best consumer sustainability
high environmental impact
best consumer sustainability
low environmental impact
high environmental impact
low consumer sustainability
low consumer sustainability
Lower
environmental
impact
Best
consumer sustainability
perception
3 Concepts
connected with
consumers on
sustainability
and had low
environmental
impact
612.807.5341 / claire@packagingtechnologyandresearch.com / PackagingTechnologyAndResearch.com
PTR for Catapult 2021 9

10.
More Sustainable Sourcing
612.807.5341 / claire@packagingtechnologyandresearch.com / PackagingTechnologyAndResearch.com
PTR for Catapult 2021 10

11.
BIOMASS-DERIVED
POLYETHYLENE (bPE)
POLYETHYLENETEREPHTHLATE (bPET)
POLYETHYLENE FURANOATE (PEF)
POLYTRIMETHYLENE FURANDICARBOXYLATE (PTF)
POLY(TRIMETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE) (PTT)
Require the least modification to value chain
Have the most promise as drop-in solutions
Bio-derived
Recyclable
Acceptable barriers
Industry – Drop in Solutions
ARE
THEREFORE
PTR for Catapult 2021 12

12.
Selected Biomass derived polymers in use today
612.807.5341 / claire@packagingtechnologyandresearch.com / PackagingTechnologyAndResearch.com
PTR for Catapult 2021 13

13.
BIOMASS-DERIVED
PHA
PLA
CHITOSAN
EDIBLE POLYMERS
Require a stronger value proposition than bio-derived
Provide opportunities for innovation in:
Value Chain modification
Systems Thinking
Bio-derived
Sometimes degradable – isolated
infrastructure and standards
Industry – non-Drop in Solutions
ARE
THEREFORE
PTR for Catapult 2021 14

14.
Landfill
15
MOST SUSTAINABLE DISPOSAL
PTR for Catapult 2021
Reuse it
Biodegrade it
OR
Recycle it
Waste to Energy
Incinerate it
Litter
OR
OR
OR
OR
OR
More sustainable packaging
requires materials and design
for Disposal options

15.
16
LCA TOOLS
PTR for Catapult 2021

16.
REDUCING TOXIC AND HARMFUL
CHEMICALS IN OUR PACKAGING IS
PARAMOUNT TO THE CIRCULAR
ECONOMY (REUSE AND
RECYCLING) AND DEGRADATION

17.
Value Chain Modification & Systems Thinking for non-Drop in Solutions
Examples
Value Chain modifications
• Master-pack rethink
Systems thinking
• Add value by addressing what foods need
• For example, can to decrease barrier
requirements if use:
• Reduced headspace (KIND bars) with
edible polymers
• New means to get food to people
• Inherent antimicrobial activity of Chitosan
• PHA properties as a carrier for antimicrobials,
antioxidants, hydrogels, indicators
PTR for Catapult 2021 19

18.
Take-Aways
More sustainable food packaging decreases food waste, minimizes energy used in food
processing, and the overall environmental/social/ impact of feeding people
Industry considers more sustainable packaging sourcing and disposal separately
612.807.5341 / claire@packagingtechnologyandresearch.com / PackagingTechnologyAndResearch.com
Biomass derived PE and PET are being adopted by industry as drop-in solutions
Biomass derived PHA, PLA, Chitosan, and edible polymers have an innovation
opportunity using value chain and systems thinking
PTR for Catapult 2021 20

19.
Resources
What is needed for more sustainable food system - https://vcm-international.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Packaging-and-Food-Waste-Unwrapping-the-Arguments-FULL-PAPER-051821.pdf
UNDP. 2019a. Sustainable Development Goals: Deadline 2030, The SDG Decade of Action; United Nations Development Program. Accessible from:
https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainabledevelopment-goals.html
UNDP. 2019b. Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 13: Climate action; United Nations Development Program. Accessible from: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-developmentgoals/goal-
13-climate-action.html
UNEP (date unknown). Legal Limits on Single-Use Plastics and Microplastics:A Global Review of National Laws and Regulations; United Nations Environment Programme. Accessible from:
https://www.unep.org/resources/report/legal-limits-single-use-plastics-and-microplastics
WRAP. 2020. The UK Plastics Pact; Waste & ResourcesAction Programme. Accessible from: https://wrap.org.uk/taking-action/plastic-packaging/the-uk-plastics-pact
Feber, D., Nordigården, D., Granskog, A., Ponkshe, S., Berg, P. 2021. The Drive Toward Sustainability in Packaging – Beyond The Quick Wins; McKinsey & Company.
https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Industries/Paper%20and%20Forest%20Products/Our%20Ins
ights/The%20drive%20toward%20sustainability%20in%20packaging%20beyond%20the%20quick%20wins/T he-drive-toward-sustainability-in-packaging-beyond-the-quick-wins.ashx
Tenhunen, A., Pöhler, H. (Eds.). 2020. A Circular Economy of Plastics: A Vision for Redesigning Plastics Value Chains; VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd. Accessible from:
https://cris.vtt.fi/en/publications/acircular-economy-of-plastics-a-vision-of-redesigning-plastics-v
Sites for compostable packaging
https://www.compostingcouncil.org/page/participants
As a scientist, this makes me just shake my head. 1st, the research is done poorly and 2nd, the press mutates it to be something else. Bags should not break down in the environment because if they do they
would release additives and chemical. They are only supposed to degrade in an industrial composting site. So, in essence, this is good news that did not breakdown. The "research" was insane. Better to assess
if they breakdown in an industrial compost site; but, good to know they did not breakdown where they should not have. https://www.dezeen.com/2019/04/30/biodegradable-plastic-bags-research-university-
plymouth/
PTR for Catapult 2021 21

20.
CREATED BY PTR
LEARN MORE AT : www.PackagingTechnologyAndResearch.com
Claire Sand
PACKAGING
TECHNOLOGY &
RESEARCH
Industry
Perspective on
More
Sustainable
Food
Packaging
SUMMER 2021
PTR for Catapult 2021 22