Packaging machines go green

Plastic pollution has never been so high on the political, business and public agenda. The problem’s scale can be summarised in a few shocking statistics:

• A third of all plastic produced globally is thrown away after a single use – only 9% is recycled
• Of all solid plastic waste produced since the 1950s, an estimated total of 4.9 billion tonnes remains (i.e. has not been burned or recycled)
• Worldwide, over 80% of all drinking water samples have tested positive for microscopic plastic fibres
• Researchers have found plastic in 100% of animal stomachs in a study of life seven miles deep in the Pacific Ocean
• The world’s oceans contain around five trillion pieces of drifting plastic, weighing over 250,000 tonnes

In Britain, industry responded recently with the UK Plastics Pact. It brings together businesses across the plastics value chain, as well as national government (represented by Defra), the Scottish and Welsh governments, and a variety of NGOs. Their common purpose is to achieve a circular economy for plastics, focusing on replacement, reduction, re-use and ultimately recycling or composting, with minimal waste. This initiative is expected to be replicated by other countries as part of a global wave of change.

It should be remembered that plastic is a very useful material. Its strength, durability, lightness and versatility are particularly valued in the food sector, for instance. Plastics contribute considerably to maintaining food safety by preventing contamination, and to minimising food waste – another sustainability aim – by extending shelf life. We need them, but they must be used sustainably.

Whenever a change is made to packaging, whether by using a different plastic, a more recyclable or biodegradable material, an alternative design or a novel technique, a new challenge is created for the packaging machinery industry. This sector’s innovation and agility is essential in supporting sustainability initiatives and making their objectives achievable.

Consider what happens when packaging machines, robotic systems and automated handling equipment are faced by such changes. From a machine automation point of view, adapting to each fresh set of demands is particularly challenging. Machine designers require a powerful and homogeneous system capable of controlling coordinated movements along several axes. The Lenze automation platform is designed to make it easier to deal with the growing complexity of machine design by providing the tools, products and services needed to improve packaging machine performance and reliability in existing machinery, new machine designs or entire packaging plant installations. Using modular, integrated and flexible technologies creates an automated system that can be easily manipulated to meet changing demands.

It is worth adding that energy conservation – a further aspect of sustainability – can be readily monitored and optimised via automation system software. Standardised protocols such as OPC UA and the MQTT standard, when included in the automation portfolio, help to future-proof systems, enabling cloud connectivity and easy assimilation into the smart factories of tomorrow.

There are three main rewards for companies choosing a sustainable approach: supply chain partners and customers like it; its energy and material savings make economic sense ; and it keeps businesses ahead of the inevitable tightening legislation. Those looking to make the change will find automation experts very happy to help.