Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
If it is disposed of with regular trash then it ends up in landfills where the conditions for
biodegradability and composting are not present.
●
Because PLA containers look in appearance similar to PET, then they can be erroneously
mixed with PET containers and affect the reusing of PET.
●
Therefore, under the current solid waste management system, PLA fails to fulfill the pro-
phesy of a true cradle-to-cradle cycle.
Design for “X”
Design for “X” is a generalization of the concept of design for manufacturing where
X
is a
variable that may adopt different names to cover multiple aspects of the product. The idea of
design for manufacturing considers the product manufacturability and assembly into the
design, so these operations can be performed with minimal difficulty and minimal number of
steps. Design for X extends that concept beyond manufacturing and assembly and into other
aspects of the product.
Design for X looks at the package design further than into its primary function of deliver-
ing a safe and nutritious product to the consumer and into its whole life cycle. The idea is to
close the cycle of matter so a true cradle-to-cradle approached can be achieved.
All the food packaging that is in use today has been designed in a time where the environ-
ment was of a little concern, so the focus of X has been manufacturing, assembly, perfor-
mance, functionality, cost, quality, and aesthetics. With the idea of minimization of the
environmental impact of packaging, the concept of design for X has to be extended to other
aspects, including recycling, composting/biodegradability, minimization of materials and
energy, reuse, durability, life extension, and transportation, which all fall under the umbrella
of design for the environment or design for life cycle.
At the moment of this publication, there are no technical answers for all attributes sug-
gested in the previous paragraph and in Table 12.6, still some attributes can be improved with
existing technologies and materials.
Design for the environment
Design for the environment is a concept that applies not only to packaging but also to any
product. It is about designing products using a top-down approach in a way that minimizes or
eliminates the environmental impact. The ideal designed-for-the-environment package would
be one that uses renewable resources and energy, minimizes or eliminates the emission of
Table 12.6
Design for “X” in packaging.
Traditional “Xs”
Environmental or lifecycle “Xs”
Manufacturing
Recycling
Assembly
Composting/biodegradability
Performance
Minimization of materials/energy
Functionality
Reuse
Cost
Durability
Quality
Shelf life extension
Aesthetics
Transportation
Safety/reliability
“X” is a variable that can be replaced by any of the attributes shown in both columns.
