CPP Sustainability & Environmental Packaging Flashcards

Which voluntary US program grades packaging recyclability and helps brands design for recycling?

Answer: The Sustainable Packaging Coalition's 'Design for Recyclability' guidelines

The Sustainable Packaging Coalition publishes Design for Recyclability guidelines tailored to US material recovery infrastructure to help brands improve recyclability.

In a packaging sustainability report, 'Scope 3 emissions' typically includes which activity?

Answer: Upstream raw material production and downstream consumer disposal of packaging

Scope 3 covers all indirect value-chain emissions including those from suppliers making packaging materials and consumers disposing of finished packages.

Which packaging attribute is evaluated by the FTC Green Guides to prevent greenwashing?

Answer: Environmental marketing claims such as 'recyclable,' 'compostable,' and 'eco-friendly'

The FTC Green Guides regulate the use of environmental marketing claims on packaging to ensure they are truthful, substantiated, and not misleading to consumers.

A 'circular economy' approach to packaging prioritizes which design principle?

Answer: Keeping materials in use at their highest value for as long as possible

Circular economy design keeps packaging materials cycling continuously through the economy, eliminating the concept of waste by designing for reuse, repair, or recycling.

Which packaging material is generally considered most widely recycled through US curbside programs?

Answer: Corrugated cardboard (OCC)

Old corrugated cardboard (OCC) has one of the highest recycling rates and is accepted by the vast majority of US curbside and drop-off programs.

What does 'design for disassembly' mean for multi-component packaging?

Answer: Engineering the package so different materials can be easily separated by the consumer for proper recycling

Design for disassembly ensures that mixed-material packages can be separated into mono-material streams by the end user, improving recyclability.