Is paper packaging better than plastic?
We asked the Swedish Environmental Institute, IVL, to compare packages made of paperboard and plastic materials. In the study, we used packages that did the same job and had similar functionality. The comparison focused on carbon footprint values, using our paperboard, Invercote, as a reference, while the data for plastic materials came from established environmental databases such as Gabi or Ecoinvent.
The study was based solely on the carbon footprints of the materials, including production, recycling, and waste management.
None of the paperboard packages in the study was made from Holmen's material; they were chosen simply because they, along with their plastic counterparts, offered comparable functionality.
A clear difference in emissions
The outcome was an eye-opener. In the example where the plastic packaging performed best, it still had 2.5 times higher fossil emissions than the matching paperboard packaging. In the worst case, the plastic package generated 95 times more fossil emissions than the matching paperboard alternative.
Food packaging
Paperboard does not have the barrier properties that plastic has, i.e. the ability to prevent oxygen, moisture, fat or aroma from affecting packaged goods, such as food and confectionery.
A compromise that can reduce the carbon footprint of a package, compared to one made only of plastic material, is to use paperboard for the structure and have a thin plastic barrier to achieve the required properties. This compromise can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of the package.