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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING „ENVIRONMENT“

  1. Sustainability
  2. Frequently asked questions regarding "environment"

PROTECTIVE PACKAGING FOR SHIPPING PRODUCTS

Why are there paper and air cushions in shipping boxes? The product in the box is often already packed.

If the product in the box isn’t protected, it can move around during shipping
and can be damaged. This equally applies to packed products in a shipping box. And a broken product would not only be annoying for the recipient, but also bad for the environment: far more energy and resources are needed for the damaged product to be returned and for a new product to be manufactured and dispatched once again than for the manufacture of paper or air cushions that prevent the product from being damaged.

Why are small products sometimes dispatched in very large boxes with a lot of protective packaging material?

As the manufacturer of protective packaging, Storopack has no direct influence
over the size of the boxes and the amount of protective packaging material used by mail order companies. We do, however, offer our customers
advice regarding efficient packaging processes in order to play our part in ensuring that only the protective packaging material that’s needed
is actually used.

Can used Storopack products be sent back to Storopack for recycling?

Absolutely yes! However, for lowest environmental impact we suggest to dispose of products via the locally available disposal options, preferably via established collection for recycle. In most countries and communities the collection for plastics and paper for recycling are well established. Thus, it is the simplest and best way to contribute to the recycling of those products.

What sort of carbon footprint and energy footprint do the various protective packaging products have?

We have investigated if such data would be meaningful. As there are no
standards for such studies we believe they are incomplete and misleading.
Therefore, we have decided to stay away from such studies/statements.

REUSABILITY FOR PROTECTIVE PACKAGING

Which types of protective packaging can be reused?

All Storopack protective packaging can be reused. Non-business customers,
for example, can use it to return a product or to send other products.
And trade and industry can use loose fill which is returned to them
to dispatch products once again.

RECYCLING, COMPOSTABILITY AND DISPOSAL

Can Storopack protective packaging be recycled?

Yes, all of Storopack’s protective packaging is recyclable. It can be processed
and reused in a variety of industrial products. The only exception are our products from renewable raw materials – they are not always recyclable, but compostable.

How should paper paddings be disposed of correctly?

Usually paper pads can be disposed of and recycled via the blue paper bin. Storopack does not use coated paper. Disposal via existing recycling facilities contributes to reducing the use of primary raw materials. PAPERplus® uses only inks which the recycler can easily remove (de-inking process).

How should air pillows be disposed of correctly?

In India, you can dispose the air cushions in household trash bins. They are then recycled or incinerated. Polyethylene is incidentally a very welcome source of energy at waste-to-energy plants because its calorific value is actually higher than that of oil. Storopack also offers protective packaging which is industrially compostable, like AIRplus® BIO film, which can be used for the manufacture of air cushions. The film’s base material is a compostable plastic based on polylactic acid (PLA) and copolyester. The basis of the product is made using renewable resources. AIRplus® BIO is certified compostable in accordance with the European standard EN 13432 and the American standard ASTM D6400.

How should foam packaging be disposed of correctly?

They can be used again, for example, as protective packaging. As a  component of the general waste stream, FOAMplus® foam is an outstanding
fuel for modern plants that generate energy from waste. When disposing of the foam packaging, the PE protective film does not need to be separated from the foam. The trade and industry sectors have their own disposal channels (industrial waste) through which foam packaging is also recycled.

Why isn’t all of Storopack’s protective packaging compostable?

Very different types of protective packaging can be needed depending on the goods being shipped. While fragile and lighter items like porcelain and glass can be ideally protected in a box using the compostable loose fill PELASPAN® BIO, heavy technical components require paper and foam packaging in order that the product is stabilized in the shipping box. This type of protective packaging isn’t compostable, but it can nevertheless easily be recycled.

MANUFACTURING MATERIAL PAPERplus®

Is recycled material used to make PAPERplus® paper paddings?

It depends on the product. Some PAPERplus® paper pads in this line contain
recycled material, while other PAPERplus® paddings do not.

What proportion of an PAPERplus® padding is made from recycled material?

For the paper pads containing recycled material, the proportion is at least 40%. Some of the paper pads are made of 100% recycled material.

Is there PAPERplus® paper padding made from renewable raw material?

Yes, PAPERplus® Classic Grass is made from up to 50 percent grass fibers and ca be fully composted or recycled. PAPERplus® Classic Grass is made without the use of processing chemicals.

Is protective packaging made from paper more environmentally friendly than plastic protective packaging?

Each material has its own manufacturing and disposal advantages and disadvantages. Paper has the advantage of being made out of the renewable resource wood. Meanwhile, PE film (polyethylene) production requires less energy and water than paper and can also be recycled with a lot less energy. All Storopack protective packaging can be reused and recycled.

MANUFACTURING MATERIAL AIRplus®

What are the air cushions made from?

AIRplus® air cushions are made from PE (polyethylene) film. We manufacture the films at our own production facilities. PE film is characterized in particular by the minimal use of resources for its manufacture and by its excellent mechanical properties – it is especially flexible, allowing you to reliably cushion, block and brace, and wrap all kinds of products.

Is the manufacture of protective packaging made from plastic harmful to the environment?

No. Neither unpleasant odors, nor toxic vapors and effluents are created during the manufacture and processing of the PE films used for our air cushions. Production of the PE films is chlorine- and sulfur-free, they do not contain any plasticizers or heavy metals, and they do not pollute groundwater.

Is recycled material used to make AIRplus® films?

It depends on the product. Some AIRplus® Void films contain recycled  material, while other AIRplus® films do not.

What proportion of an AIRplus® film is made from recycled material?

Those films which are produced with recycle content do contain a minimum of 50% recycle.

What does the term “bioplastic” mean?

We have to make a distinction here between bio-based plastic, biodegradable plastic, and a mixture of the two. Bio-based plastic is made entirely or partially from biomass like corn, sugarcane, or cellulose. Compostable plastic is generally broken down into carbon dioxide and water under certain conditions. There are also “OXO-biodegradable plastics.” These are conventional plastics which have had metals added in order to make them biodegrade.

Why doesn’t Storopack use “OXO-biodegradable plastics”?

So-called OXO-biodegradable plastics should be avoided: many experts  question whether the fragments (or microplastics, depending on the size) are  truly fully biodegraded. Additionally, the additives in OXO-biodegradable  plastics can have a negative impact on recycling.

For more information on bioplastics, see also: Article by the German Environment Agency (UBA) on bags made from bioplastic

MANUFACTURING MATERIAL FOAMplus®

What is the foam packaging made from?

FOAMplus® foam packaging is made from expanded polyurethane called
PUR.
PUR can be found in many everyday objects such as upholstered furniture,
mattresses, shoes, clothing, vehicles or technical equipment.

Is there FOAMplus® foam packaging made from recycled raw material?

It depends on the product. FOAMplus® 5504R packaging foam is made partly from polyol, a raw material from recycled polyurethane. Waste and leftover polyurethane from manufacturing or consumers are processed at recycling facilities in order to produce polyol. FOAMplus® 5504R has similar properties to the base material and can be used to produce high-quality protective packaging

Is foam a harmful substance?

No, foam is a so-called inert substance, which means it is chemically stable and will not react on its own by getting in contact with air, water or other substances.

Are there material safety data sheets (MSDS) available for expanded PU foam?

Yes, material safety data sheets are available upon request.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

How does Storopack contribute to protecting the environment?

As a rule, Storopack focuses on sustainability in accordance with the “4 Rs” principle of REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, and RENEW.

We pay attention to using limited resources and energy in the production of our protective packaging and technical molded parts. Wherever possible, the Storopack production plants use energy sourced from waste heat. We also manufacture without generating chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). And last, but not least, the low weight of our protective packaging and molded parts plays a part in reducing fuel consumption during shipment.

What is Storopack doing with regard to energy efficiency in its own locations?

The equipment at our locations also plays a major role when it comes to protecting resources. We are therefore committed to efficient energy management and continuously optimize the energy footprint of our locations. We have already achieved considerable reductions in our CO2 emissions and energy consumption thanks to a variety of modernization measures. In regular audits, we analyze how we can improve even further. More information can be found here: https://www.storopack.in/sustainability/energy-efficiency/

How is Storopack engaging against plastic waste?

Storopack is part of the global initiative “Alliance to End Plastic Waste”, which seeks to save the planet from the scourge of plastic pollution. Plastic waste in the environment, especially in the world’s oceans, is a huge problem. Together with some 40 other firms, we have signed up to the mission of allowing no plastic waste to enter the environment and cleaning up existing plastic pollution.


Storopack is an exclusive sponsor of the Big Blue Ocean cleanup program, one of the world’s leading nonprofit organizations for cleaning the oceans. We’ve been supporting the international nonprofit foundation Big Blue Ocean Cleanup since 2018. As an exclusive sponsor of the coastal cleaning program, we’ve dedicated ourselves to a long-term partnership. Big Blue
Ocean Cleanup makes an active effort to raise awareness of the current state of the world’s seas and is dedicated to protecting marine life and   sustainability for clean oceans and coastlines – with initiatives dedicated to cleaning beaches, removing plastic from the ocean, offering training courses, and informing partners and the general public.

By participating in the Operation Clean Sweep initiative, Storopack is making an important contribution to protecting the environment from plastic pollution. Within our German, French, and Spanish Molding locations, we have committed to the objectives of Operation Clean Sweep and thus set the goal of preventing any plastic particles used at our production facilities from finding their way into the environment through water. This is an important
contribution to preventing granule loss in the plastics value chain.