Our interview with Andrea D'Amato, General Manager of SEDA International Packaging Group.
Objectives of the project
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Energy is central to almost all of the world's most important challenges and opportunities. Whether it is for work, security, climate change, food production or in response to rising incomes, access to energy is essential. Sustainable energy is an opportunity – it transforms life, the economy and the planet. That is why we are committed to using an ever increasing proportion of renewable energy.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Climate change is the most important global challenge we face. Emissions are generated everywhere and affect everyone. We want to use the right solutions to become a cleaner and higher performing manufacturer, in an ongoing process of improvement. This is why we are implementing all measures that can help reduce our emissions as a top priority.
What are the challenges of the packaging market?
The direction of the market is going toward more sustainable and renewable materials: the great challenge is how to transform an excellent idea that works in the lab into an applicable one on an industrial scale. Packaging must fulfill specific technical and technological characteristics in terms of shelf-life, products’ safety, and consumer’s safety, and preventing food waste, which alone generates about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. On this instance, preserving meat is still one of the most complex markets: we must respect all these requirements and consequently we must design new packaging that can be recycled correctly.
Does being sustainable require a commitment to the entire supply chain?
Sustainability is everyone's matter and it’s feasible only when all the links in the chain are interconnected. We have to be organized and focused on the same direction: the effort to design sustainable packaging and launch it on the market could fail if we do not have an attentive and informed consumer or infrastructures able to separate and sort different kind of packaging and then recycling it appropriately. The entire supply chain must all be working in synch: We all must do our part.
What does eco-pack mean?
In Italy, paper and cardboard packaging has reached a recycling rate of 87%, that means we are ahead of the target set by the European Union for 2030 of 85%. Paper packaging, once has fulfilled its primary function, can take on a new life and be recycled numerous times. When you have the opportunity to use a virtuous recycling cycle like the one for paper, why not do it?" Parmacotto has decided to concentrate all its energies on this. Our contribution is focused on the part of the packaging that has to do with the film membrane, and the greatest initial challenge was working with transparency. In the world of cured meats and cold cuts, the membrane has always been seen by consumers as a transparent object: it must allow you to see what you are buying. So, we asked ourselves, "What if it's only partially transparent?"
What kind of solution did you find?
We found a solution that went in the direction of membrane recyclability. Once the paper layer was developed, we created a laminate that falls within the categories provided by CONAI for transferability in the paper, that means with a prevalent percentage of cellulose. The facilities that recycle this material can separate the fibers contained in the packaging from the residual plastics. And the pack can become something else. We are talking about something that did not exist in the category. It takes courage to bring to fruition an idea that breaks away from the well-trodden paths of the past. This is a packaging that, while maintaining the original characteristics (shelf-life - use on packaging lines), shifts the priority on recycling.
Do recycling and reforestation go hand-in-hand?
When using certified paper, you are not only contributing to the environment through recycling, but also to reforestation. FSC or PEFC certified cards contribute to the growth of the green lung that as today is in constant expansion in Europe. Today, for every tree used, three to five trees are planted. In this sense, ours is a sustainable stream of production, because from upstream to downstream the product on the market uses only certified chains.
Does sustainability have a cost?
Embracing the ecological transition takes time. Sustainability, to be such, entails investments in infrastructure, research, and implementation time. Everything must be part of the same business approach. There is no sustainability solely on an emotional approach. We can only claim to embrace true sustainability if we demonstrate and certify it by numbers, research, and investments. For all these reasons, sustainability comes at a cost: costs for those who produce packaging, for the companies themselves and consequently also for the final consumer. It is a question of priorities, but everyone should contribute to sustainability’s costs.
