Becoming Carbon Neutral: Sustainability Trends In The Thermoforming Industry

The thermoforming industry, long a staple in creating plastic packaging and components, is undergoing a transformation driven by an ongoing focus on sustainability. Here's a look at the latest updates and trends shaping a greener future for thermoforming:

Bioplastics and Recycled Content

The biggest shift involves material selection. Traditional plastics are being challenged by:

• Bioplastics: Made from renewable resources like plant starches, these offer a lower carbon footprint and can even be compostable in certain conditions.
• Recycled Content: Repurposing post-consumer or industrial plastic waste reduces reliance on virgin materials and keeps plastic out of landfills. Some companies are developing innovative blends that combine biodegradability with high performance for thermoforming applications.

Energy Efficiency

Thermoforming processes themselves are getting a sustainability makeover. Manufacturers are adopting:

• Energy-efficient machinery: Newer machines use less power while maintaining production speed.
• Optimized heating and cooling systems: Minimizing energy waste during the heating and cooling stages of the thermoforming process reduces the overall environmental impact.

Circular Economy

The thermoforming industry is embracing a circular economy model where products are designed for multiple lifecycles. This means:

• Reusability: Developing thermoformed products that can be reused multiple times, such as storage containers with secure closures, extends their lifespan and reduces waste.
• Recyclability: Ensuring products are made from easily recyclable materials and are clearly labeled with recycling information promotes responsible disposal and facilitates reprocessing into new products.

Assessing Your Sustainability Efforts

So, how do you know if your thermoforming practices are truly sustainable? Here are some key metrics to track:

• Material selection: Track the percentage of bioplastic or recycled content used and set goals for increasing it.
• Energy consumption: Monitor energy use per unit of thermoformed product and look for ways to optimize processes.
• Waste generation: Measure the amount of scrap plastic generated during production and explore ways to minimize it.
• Recycling rates: If you're using post-consumer recycled content, track the recycling rates of your end products.

With our goal of becoming completely carbon neutral by 2033, the experts at Tek Pak know how important it is to set goals and take steps toward them each day. By remembering that sustainability is an ongoing journey, not a destination, Tek Pak can continue finding new and innovative ways to keep moving forward.

The Tek Pak Sustainability Committee is also beginning new initiatives, such as beginning ISO 14000 certification efforts in 2024 that will be completed in 2025. Tek Pak has also begun a recycling project for “soft” plastics (bubble wrap, plastic bags, shrink wrap, etc.) that are not accepted in traditional recycling projects due to clogging issues. Instead, these plastics will be used as feedstock for composite decking. To learn more about the Tek Pak Sustainability Committee's efforts, visit our Environmental Sustainability page.

Our commitment to our clients is to provide them with high-quality and innovative thermoforming solutions, and we would love to discuss your packaging needs. To get started, you can visit our contact page, give us a call, or request a quote.