Plastics: there is no realistic alternative!

The effects of plastic on the environment are the subject of numerous reports and debates. This has highlighted the problem of waste, which obviously damages the image of the sector. The TriMas Packaging team, and in particular the Aarts Packaging team, are committed to finding solutions. Results with Hervé Bichon, Vice President of Sales for the Beauty and Dispensing Systems division.

How are you approaching this fundamental and strategic issue today?

Hervé Bichon: First of all, it is important to remember that there are virtually no viable alternatives to plastic. Other materials are either much heavier, manufactured using more polluting processes, or simply harmful to the environment. Food is often packaged in plastic to extend its shelf life. Without this, large quantities of food would be wasted, which would have an even greater impact on the environment. In addition, plastic offers great versatility in terms of shape, while being sturdy, lightweight, and affordable.

But it is obviously essential to manage plastics responsibly: using the right materials for different applications and ensuring that they are disposed of in the appropriate waste stream at the end of their life. We are all responsible for this. And we can all easily contribute to the fight against this pollution by reducing our use of disposable items, no longer using plastic bags, disposing of plastic waste properly, choosing products with less or no packaging, actively participating in recycling initiatives, and sorting our household waste.

Within our company, and in particular at Aarts Packaging, various initiatives have been put in place to help solve this problem. Firstly, we are developing internal recycling and using recycled materials. When manufacturing our products, the waste generated by our process is processed as much as possible directly on the production lines. The waste is collected, shredded, and fed directly back into the production machines in a closed loop. Any residual waste that remains in our factory is sent to waste processing companies for recycling.

These materials, known as “post-consumer recycled materials” (PCR), are collected by waste processing companies, sorted, washed, and reprocessed to obtain clean material that can be reused in our manufacturing processes.

The benefits of PCR include reduced use of fossil resources through reuse, lower CO2 emissions, and a contribution to overall waste reduction. Recycled materials are already used in several of our products to reduce waste. RPET and PP are examples of materials currently used in our manufacturing processes. We also strive to make our customers aware of these possibilities from the outset and to use alternative materials wherever possible.

Can you give some examples of sustainability initiatives you have implemented at Aarts?

Hervé Bichon: Yes, for example, RPET used for chewing gum packaging and as part of a joint initiative with the customer and Nederland Schoon Development, carried out with Bluecup, a company that encourages the reuse of coffee pods rather than using a new pod for each cup of coffee. It developed a concept for this purpose in collaboration with Aarts Packaging, which we have since put into production.

A third example is that, after several production trials at the Aarts factory, a large pharmacy chain in Germany decided to use recycled materials for a large proportion of the cap packaging we manufacture for them.
Another solution worth noting is the use of bio-based and biodegradable products. Bio-based plastics are an alternative to petroleum. With oil reserves threatened with depletion, bio-based plastics, also known as renewable plastics, can be produced indefinitely. The use of biodegradable plastics ensures that these materials can be composted under appropriate conditions and thus disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner.

What efforts are you making to save energy?

Hervé Bichon: In general, and at Aarts in particular, we attach great importance to energy savings, the use of energy-efficient machines, and the reuse of heat generated by production lines to heat warehouses. Not to mention the use of LED lighting, closed-loop cooling systems, the purchase of green electricity, etc. It should be noted that EcoVadis has awarded Aarts Packaging a gold medal. The factory is also a member of NRK PVT, a collaboration between the two professional associations representing the interests of the plastics industry in the Netherlands. One of the most important initiatives launched by this professional association is Rethink, which aims to preserve plastic as a material of the future by focusing on utility, safety, durability, reuse, recycling, and innovation. It also examines how our industry can contribute to reducing CO2 emissions and supporting a circular economy. A roadmap has been drawn up for this purpose, which outlines how we intend to work more effectively towards the sustainable use of plastics across the industry.