EcodesignIntroductionOrganization of the courseMain presentation on EcodesignStep-by-step ecodesing of packagingEcodesign ToolBoxComparison of packaging from an environmental point of viewAdvantages and Inconvenients of LCA in Ecodesign
Ecodesign consists in taking into account the environmental footprint of products and services in the general desing process. The overall goal is the decrease of the environmental impact as compared to a reference state and to avoid shifting environmental burdens from a specific process or product to another.
Ecodesign in the packaging sector includes a several number of different methodologies, which will be presented here. Because of the very integrated character of packaging in the supply chain of goods much care has to be taken to avoid the shifting burdens issue.Key notions and principles of ecodesing are presented in this course.
To better understand this course, some pre-requisites are necessary. They can be found in the following Fitness courses:
For more external ressources, ecodesign is discussed in the following articles:
This course is organized in the following way: a main presentation on Ecodesign will allow you to understand the key elements to ecodesign. A step-by-step animation then presents the key points for the ecodesing of a packaging system throughout its life cycle. The toolbox gathers a number of ecodesing tools which can be applied at different stages of the design process. For one central overview, you will be able to navigate to get further information on a given item. To illustrate key notions of ecodesign, environmental comparisons of different packagings are presented using LCA methodology. To better understand the nature of LCA, a presentation of some key notions are given.
General presentation of eco-design and it's importance in the packaging industry
Key points of ecodesign using a step-by-step approach
Ecodesign should always be done having a holistic point of view, and the reduction of the environmental burden in one step should not increase the burden to another step. This presentation guides you step-by-step through the issues which can be encountered in packaging ecodesign.
Some General tools and methods used for ecodesign
Some tools and methods used for ecodesign are summed in the following toolbox: it allows to view which type of tools can be emploied at specific stages with different degrees of freedom during the ecodesign process.
Some food packaging examples and LCA's related to them.
These examples are all issued from research articles and therefore not give an ideal solution to ecodesign a packaging but allow a better understanding of the environmental impacts a packaging can have and ways to optimize them.
LCA is the most commonly used assessment method for ecodesign. Some elements are remembered here because they must to be known when reading the results of an LCA.
Case studies
Studied Packaging | Main problem |
---|---|
Milk | The interaction of short-supply chains and environmental impact of packaging |
Beer | Comparison of existing packaging and innovative packaging concepts |
Beef | Estimate the importance of the environmental footprint of packaging and its end-of-life treatment for high environmental impact food products |
Biodegradable | Decrease of environmental impact by synergy in composting of food waste and packaging |