Reusable vs Single-Use Packaging: A Review of Environmental Impact

Abstract

Waste and its mismanagement has become a significant global issue. Litter seems to be everywhere; it can be seen trapped along fences, scattered in the streets and along beaches and roadsides, where it pollutes water bodies, the oceans, our land and air. Traditional waste management focuses largely on recycling, which, although important and represents one segment of the life-cycle of materials and products, is clearly not a panacea for our waste problems. In recent years, there has been a push to focus on other circular economy strategies that could further avoid energy and resource consumption, such as reuse. With the understanding that packaging alone represents 36% of municipal solid waste in Europe, this report focuses on how and when the reuse of packaging is a better alternative than single-use. This is done by analysing the results of life cycle assessments that compare the environmental impacts of single-use to reusable packaging alternatives. The results demonstrate that the great majority of studies point to reusable packaging as the most environmentally friendly option. The report identifies the packaging types assessed by the various studies and what key aspects, such as the number of cycles or distances and break-even points, favour the environmental success of reusable packaging. It also discusses, in more detail, how specific packaging formats, such as bottles and crates, differ in impacts. The report closes with a discussion about what needs to be improved to further increase the benefits of reuse systems and the important role of deposit return schemes (DRS), pooling systems, standardization, pricing accessibility to consumers and other measures could help to ensure the success of a reusable packaging system.