Returnable plastic crates top 'green' research

Returnable plastic crates beat the environmental performance of materials such as corrugated fibreboard, waxed corrugated fibreboard and expanded polystyrene in a new research study of materials handling and packaging products commissioned by Coles Group Limited.

The study into the life cycle of returnable plastic crates (RPC), by international environmental engineering consultants Hyder Consulting, found that the plastic products outperformed their rivals when tested across seven fresh product lines.

Overall, the environmental burden of RPCs is just 20% of the alternative products. Key findings included:

• Water use: RPCs require consumption of only 7.8% of the water of alternative products. In 2007/08 the water savings equate to the annual water consumption of 3,200 households.
• Energy use: RPC usage for the fresh products requires only 35.9% of the energy required of alternative products. The difference in energy consumption between RPCs and alternatives equates to electricity and gas consumption of 8,900 average Australian households.
• Greenhouse gas emissions: RPCs emit 38.2% of the greenhouse gases of alternatives. This equates to removing 20,400 cars from Australian roads in 2007/08.
• Resource use: RPCs have a mere 40.7% impact on non-renewable resources compared with alternatives.

The study showed that every RPC would complete an average use of 12.5 cycles in 2007/08. The fresh product lines selected for the study were tomatoes, celery, beans, apples, rotisserie chicken, lamb legs and pork tenderloins.

The survey method

The researchers used the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method, an internationally accepted and standardised method for product-based assessments.

Using the stages of goal definition, boundary setting, inventory and analysis, LCA takes a systems approach to identifying and quantifying the environmental impacts of a product or service.

The process tracks the entire life of a product, from raw materials extraction through to processing, transport, use, reuse, recycling or disposal. For each of these stages, the impact is measured in terms of resources used and environmental impacts caused.

Internationally approved standards have been developed for LCA, under the ISO 14000 series.