What is Packaging Waste Doing to Our Environment?

Environmental Impact from Packaging Waste

Whether it’s your favorite mushroom pizza, iPod, or a gaming console, every consumer good comes in a nice packaging. Once you unwrap the product, you just throw away the packaging (well, everyone does this.)

After all, why anyone need those corrugated boxes, glasses, colorful plastic wrappers and polythene. They are simply useless. Right?

But have you ever thought where this packaging waste goes from your trash bins? The waste goes to landfills or oceans, if it is not possible to recycling it.

And 486,116,066 tons of household garbage is thrown out every year, meaning that 50 tons of garbage in a second. Needless to say such huge amount of waste has turned our ocean and lands into a mass dumping ground. National Geographic reveals that 269,000 tons of this waste is floating on the oceans’ surfaces and that’s only plastic.

Packaging waste not only creates litter or chocks the drains, but also causes tangible harm to environment and life.

 

Here we have listed the impacts of packaging on environment…

Deforestation:

Cardboard boxes and paper packaging are made from wood. Nearly 4 billion trees are cut down worldwide to meet the consumption of paper. The per capita paper consumption in the US is more than any nation in the world. Paper is heavily used by American industries in making cardboard and packaging boxes. The excessive use of paper will simply lead to deforestation, which in turn risks the environment.

Besides, carbon dioxide that forests remove from the atmosphere is stored in the woods and paper products throughout their lives. Nearly 160 kg of CO2 are released during the production of 200kg of paper, which is equivalent to the amount released by a typical family car over 1,000 km.

Wildlife Harm:

Plastic packaging is notorious for causing harm to both environment and wildlife. A significant number of animals like cows die each year after swallowing the plastic bags. The chemicals used in paper packaging can affect animal health once they are chewed by them. Sea turtles often mistakes plastic bags for jellyfish that is irresistible food for many sea turtle species.

Clogged Sewage Systems:

Most packaging products like cardboard, glass and plastic don’t dissolve in water. The debris of such waste is collected and carried by runoff water which ends up into the sewage systems. The accumulation of the waste in the sewage system not only generates unpleasant smell, but also creates certain hygienic problems.

Polluting Air, Water and Soil:

Packaging waste is one of the major causes behind the environmental pollution. It affects air, water and soil. 1.9 million tons of packaging waste generates greenhouse gas which is equivalent to the amount released by 860,000 cars.

Wrapping Up…

So these are the harms caused by product packaging. With the USA is already on the verge of being the largest dumping ground, we should be aware of the ways to reduce the packaging waste.

Labeling- An important aspect for your products and business

Launching a new product? Or re-branding an older one?

Are your market-ready? Not sure? Then try answering these questions,

  • Does your product packaging explain what it carries?
  • Will the packaging add more to your product visibility?
  • Is it informational?
  • Will it appeal your new and old customers?

If you aren’t sure about any of these, you need to think over again. You might be missing something really important- LABELING?

labeling importance

Why labeling is important?

To understand the significance of labeling for your product promotion, it is first important to know what it actually means.

Basically, a label is a short and sufficient sales message from the shelf. It helps delivers your sales message directly to your users. And on the other hand, these labels help you brand, creating a trustworthy image for your product and business, altogether. For instance, will you buy a medicine without a label? Or will you purchase one which misses out on the expiry date?

Of course, NO! In a similar way, missing label or use of improper labels, can discourage buyers and hinder your brand accountability. Below are listed some factors explaining the importance of labeling in detail:

Eye-catchy product appearance:

In the cut-throat competition, labeling helps in marketing your product through attractive designing. A perfect label offer a very attractive look to your product and it catches the attention of the consumers too.

Easier product description:

How can you provide the most important information regarding your product? Yes, you guessed it right- a label allows you to highlight the necessary information in one go. Whether it is about the ingredients, its usage, manufacturing, batch number, or the cautions, you can mention everything.

Provides legal information:

Do you know it is necessary to offer statutory warning with some products? Yes, it is required by law. For example, ‘SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: Cigar Smoking Can Cause Lung Cancer and Heart Disease’ on the package of cigarette, or the ‘WARNING: This product can cause mouth cancer’ for smokeless tobacco.

Similarly, there can be various warnings which are must in a case of hazardous or poisonous products.

Helps build product/ brand identity:

You might be new the market, but your product is not. There will be so many competitors already offering similar stuff. How will you differentiate?

Its east with labeling! Your label defines you and your brand, making it easier for the customers to find out your product.

Highlights offer:

Labeling plays a significant role in the promotion game. A well-designed label can easily attract the customers to buy the product. For example, for your new toothpaste, if the label carries all information about the product and also the extra product, say a free brush, it will simply let the users know that it is a profitable deal, right?

Protect the customers:

Yes, it can seriously help consumers from getting into any health problems. While it alerts them about the adulteration factor, it keeps them aware of what to buy and what not. There is a list of factors stated on the label, including ingredients, the date of manufacture and expiry. For example, if a customer is allergic to wheat, he can easily check from the label itself, whether the food item is right for him or not.

So, in a nutshell, labeling turns out to be an important part of your marketing process. But would any kind of label work for your product? Certainly, not! You need to be very careful and particular when choosing a label for your brand.

How to choose the right label for your product?

Explore some of the important factors to consider for a right labeling choice;

Customers are important

Initially, you need to check for who your customers are and how this product will benefit them. The more you are able to find out about your audience, better label design you will be able to select.

Simplicity is the best policy

No one like those labels filled with complex designs and colors. Try to choose a simple labeling to avoid any kind of confusion. You can follow the simple rule; more you are able to tell with fewer words, better your labeling will appear.

Branding can be integrated

The next thing you need to focus on when labeling your product is the branding. Actually, placing your brand in your labeling makes it easier for people to find your product. So, make sure that you put your branding in a way that it helps create a distinctive recognition for your product.

Lastly; incorporating the listed factors in your label, and blending it well with your marketing plan can guarantee a product that stands above the competition. Hence, choose a partner who can assure you custom printed packaging services and best labels.