de Plásticos Española y Sostenible» refuerza este compromiso, garantizando que los productos y procesos cumplen con criterios de sostenibilidad reales, medibles y verificables. Apostar por este sello es apostar por una economía circular basada en el conocimiento, la innovación y la transparencia. At ANAIP, we advocate that decisions about the type of material used to package products should be based on a life cycle analysis: from the selection of raw materials to their end-of-life. Plastics, especially packaging, are at the center of the environmental debate. Regulations have been passed that seek to reduce the generation of packaging waste and encourage reuse and recyclability. However, on many occasions, the replacement of some materials with others not subject to restrictions is being promoted without taking into account a complete life cycle analysis. From the plastics sector and at ANAIP, we are convinced that plastic packaging is not only subject to the most controls to ensure consumer safety, but is also the most sustainable when comparing life cycle data. Plastic vs. Cardboard It is true that, in the name of sustainability, some brands are replacing plastic packaging with cardboard. This solution may work for some products, but almost never for food. The cups we receive in cafes or the containers we receive in some hospitality establishments are not made solely of cardboard because they would not be waterproof and would not meet the requirements of food contact regulations. These containers almost always have some type of plastic film covering, which makes recycling extremely difficult, while a container made of only one type of plastic (what we call mono-material) is very easy to recycle. The same is true for cartons, which are now being presented as a more sustainable option for selling bottled water. Recycling this type of multimaterial packaging, which combines plastic, aluminum, and cardboard, is very complex. Separating everything and recycling it individually is very expensive. Even so, some recycling companies are beginning to separate the aluminum and plastic from the cardboard and are producing polyethylene pellets with a small portion of aluminum: this new material is called polyaluminum and is used to make products such as flower pots or construction products, but not for food contact. The UNE 53 Plastics Standardization Committee is working on developing a standard that establishes testing methods and sets criteria such as the maximum amount of aluminum that this pellet can contain. Instead of this complicated and costly process, a PET water bottle can be collected, managed, and converted into recycled raw material for making new bottles with 100% recycled PET. In ANAIP's Plastics Blog, in honor of World Recycling Day, we published a post explaining the management of a PET bottle from the moment it's discarded until it becomes recycled raw material for making a new one. Glass and other materials Glass is perhaps the material that has performed best in terms of communication and image. It's firmly established in the social imagination as a clean and sustainable material. And it's true that in Spain we have a very good collection and treatment system for glass containers, but at what cost? Does it offer better life cycle analysis results than plastic bottles? Glass melts at a temperature of between 1,400 and 1,600 degrees Celsius. Plastic, between 100 and 260. Imagine the difference in energy consumption in the manufacturing and recycling process for glass bottles versus plastic ones. Also the difference in weight and the amount of fuel required to transport a container of glass bottles versus one of plastic bottles. And the cost of transporting and processing the same bottles at the end of their useful life. And we don't want to miss the opportunity to include one last material in this comparison: fabric, which has become very popular for bags. But if we analyze the data rigorously, a fabric bag must be used many times for its environmental impact to equal that of reusable plastic bags. One of the best-known studies on the life cycle of bags is the one published in 2018 by the Danish Ministry of the Environment. Researchers estimated how many uses a paper or cloth bag requires to equal the "cumulative environmental impact" (emissions, water use, or energy use) of plastic bags. For polypropylene bags, 35 uses are required, 84 for recycled polyethylene terephthalate bags, 35 for polyester bags, 43 for paper bags, 7,000 for conventional cotton bags, and 20,000 for organic cotton bags (made without pesticides or chemical fertilizers). Actual vs. perceived sustainability With this data, we can state that many solutions presented as more environmentally friendly actually have a higher environmental impact if analyzed rigorously and if we apply a life cycle assessment. Therefore, we believe the solution is not to replace plastic packaging with other types, but to use it responsibly, apply eco-design to produce reusable, lightweight, and easily recyclable packaging, and communicate transparently to consumers so they can make informed and informed decisions. Tthe «Sustainable Spanish Plastics Industry» seal reinforces this commitment, guaranteeing that products and processes meet real, measurable, and verifiable sustainability criteria. Supporting this seal also means supporting a circular economy based on knowledge, innovation, and transparency. Analysis of the sustainability of plastic packaging compared to other materials Luis Cediel, general manager of ANAIP 35 TEMA CENTRAL I MAIN TOPIC
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