The Flexible Packaging Association

venience; extended shelf life; and sustainability features that flexible packaging provides.Flexible packagingmanufacturers are responding to these key issues and innovating in order to ensure the safetyand protection of the product; prevention of contamination and foodwaste; freshness and pro- longed shelf-life; ease of transport,storage,and use; and source reduction and end-of-lifemanagement. Not all flexible packaging is the same.Different products require different types of protection.Some flexible packaging ismade froma singlemateri- al,however,inmanycases,multiplematerials are required to provide the appropriate barrier and product protection.Inmulti-material packaging,each layer performs a different function in protecting and preserving the product.Byusingmaterials with properties geared toward specificperformance,man- ufacturers canmeet their customers’varying needs, including as stated above,contamination prevention and extended freshness,but also puncture,tear,and burst resistance as well as tensile and seal strength. For example,high barrier films scavenge food odors and prevent leaks; andmedication andmedical devices can be easilyand safelydispensed through sterilized,tear-open packaging engineered for dosing compliance.Byprotecting the products,flexible pack- aging reduces returnedmerchandise alongwith all associated operational and environmental costs. FPAadvocates on the environmental benefits of flexible packaging.When assessing sustainability, examining the full life-cycle of a package is critical. Flexible packaging is the optimumenvironmental choice because it uses fewer resources,generates fewer emissions,and creates less waste in the first place.Flexible packaging starts with using fewer resources and has the ability to package themost product in the least amount of packaging possible, positively impactingmunicipal solidwaste,energy THE FLEXIBLE PACKAGING ASSOCIATION use inmanufacturing and transportation,and green- house gas emissions.Producing a flexible foodservice pouch requires 75 percent less energyand generates just 1/10 of greenhouse gas emissions during pro- duction than ametal can for the equivalent amount of product.Just 1.5 pounds of flexible packagingwill package the same amount of beverage or liquid foods as 50 pounds of glass.The U.S.recycling rate of a steel canwould need to increase from71 to 93 percent and the plastic lidwould need to increase from21 to 75 percent for a steel coffee can to have the same amount of landfilledmaterial as a flexible stand-up coffee pouch. Arecent studyby theNatural Resources Defense Council shows that up to 40%of food in the U.S.goes towaste.Foodwaste is the number 1 contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.Flexible packaging helps to reduce this waste.The shelf life of cucumbers is extended from3 days to 14 days whenwrapped in a polyethylene shrinkwrap.The shelf life of beef is extended from4 days to up to 23 days when vacuum packaged in an oxygen barrier film.Foodwaste is re- duced from11 to 0.8 percent when bread is packaged in a biaxiallyoriented polypropylene film.Packaging grapes in perforated bags lead to a 20 percent reduc- tion of in-storewaste.And,bananas last 36 days in per-