Sustainable Packaging Coalition

Th US-based Sustainable Packaging Coalition is a 200-strong association of packaging manufacturers, which collectively envision a true cradle-t0-cradle system for all packaging. The SPC came up with an 8-point criteria in its definition of sustainable packaging:

1. Is beneficial, safe & healthy for individuals and communities throughout its life cycle.
2. Meets market criteria for performance and cost.
3. Is sourced, manufactured, transported, and recycled using renewable energy.
4. Maximizes the use of renewable or recycled source materials.
5. Is manufactured using clean production technologies and best practices.
6. Is made from materials healthy in all probable end of life scenarios.
7. Is physically designed to optimize materials and energy.

8. Is effectively recovered and utilized in biological and/or industrial cradle to cradle cycles.

Sustainable Packaging Alliance

The Australian-based Sustainable Packaging Alliance aims to be an international focal point for knowledge, tools and expertise that catalyse and facilitate continuous improvement in the environmental performance and sustainability of packaging systems. Through these capabilities, SPA aims to contribute to the positioning of Australia as an international leader in commercial application and adoption of sustainable packaging systems.

The SPA provided a definition of sustainable packaging, naming four principles:

1. Effective: provide social and economic benefits.
2. Efficient: provide benefits by using materials, energy and water as efficiently as possible.
3. Cyclic: be recoverable through industrial or natural systems.
4. Clean: non-polluting and non-toxic.

In one of its papers, Towards Sustainable Packaging, the SPA illustrated several strategies for addressing environmental considerations in packaging.