Did you know that 29% of people say they would pay more for a product if it had environmentally friendly packaging? This is just one of many statistics which represents the power that sustainable solutions have on various markets. With the UK food and drinks industry being focused on prioritising sustainable solutions in the coming years, now is a great time to consider what types of containers are best for the environment.
In this article, we will look at the impact of glass containers and explore how they offer a sustainable solution for packaging.
What Type of Containers Are Best for the Environment?
When considering the environmental impact of packaging, it’s important to consider how it can be disposed of, produced and re-used in the future. This is why glass containers are some of the best available as the long-lasting material ranks positively in all of those categories. Some other materials that offer improved sustainability include stainless steel and beeswax wraps.
What Are the Positive Environmental Impacts for Glass Containers?
Glass containers include many positives when it comes to environmental sustainability which is why we favour them at HYT. These benefits are also further enhanced for the customer by the time other benefits such as longevity of the stored product and visual appearance are also considered.
The positive environmental impacts of glass are as follows:
Glass is one of the most recyclable materials in the world as it can be recycled multiple times. This also means that less energy is used when the process takes place as glass that has already been processed previously is easier to melt down and work with. This means that not only can glass containers be reused for future food and drink, but that the material can be used for other products.
Another benefit is that glass containers can be used multiple times, even when not being recycled. They can simply be cleaned or sterilised and then used again for holding new items.
Glass is also environmentally friendly in the sense that it doesn’t release any harmful chemicals at any point. It can also store items successfully so that products also cannot release any unwanted chemicals keeping spaces clean and safe.
Finally, being able to reuse and recycle glass preserves the raw materials used to initially create it.
Are There Any Negative Environmental Impacts for Glass Containers?
Although glass is one of the most sustainable materials for containers, there are a few negatives, which are outlined below:
Items in glass containers tend to weigh more, meaning the emissions released during transport can be higher as a result of increased journeys to move loads around. However, this is not all bad as it means once items have been delivered, there is actually less need for repeat journeys as items remain fresher for longer.
Glass containers can also have an environmental impact on raw materials when made from scratch, as materials like sand and limestone are required. However, this can be reduced by melting down the glass and using it again.
How Do HYT Take Care of the Environment?
At HYT, we work with our supply chain to ensure high standards throughout production and focus on recycling to ensure our glass containers make a positive impact on the environment. We are also big advocates of tree planting and work with Ecologi to help reduce our impact.
