Ropak's Third Party Verified Sustainability Claims

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Ropak Packaging, North America's largest producer of rigid plastic shipping containers, has recently received third-party verification of the sustainability claims on its Diamond Weave Technology™ product line in accordance with the Greener Package Sustainability Guidelines.  The research was undertaken by Packaging Knowledge Group (PKG) on behalf of Greener Package.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100920/LA68349)

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100920/LA68349)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100608/LA18170LOGO-c)

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100608/LA18170LOGO-c)

The verified sustainability claims for Diamond Weave Technology containers include:

• Source material reduction of up to 35 percent while maintaining stack strength performance
• Reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of up to 43 percent versus existing containers
• Up to 25 percent PCR (post-consumer recycled) content
• Up to 34 percent improvement in the cube utilization metric, an important factor in the Walmart scorecard
• Waste to energy of polypropylene resin greater than 5mJ/kg
• Up to 59 percent of these containers are recycled
• Containers are reusable and refillable.  In fact more than 78 percent of consumers kept a standard pail for six months or more, and 63 percent kept them for a year or more.  
• Meets the CONEG heavy metal standard.

"Sustainability of packaging is becoming a primary goal for consumer packaged goods suppliers, packaging suppliers and product designers alike," says Pansy Leo, Ropak's Marketing Manager.  "But green-washing can make it difficult for everyone to select and use the best possible packaging solutions for achieving sustainability.  We are pleased to participate in the review process conducted by an independent expert on Greener Package Sustainability Guidelines to help the industry move towards better packaging sustainability."

"Diamond Weave Technology is our next generation of product, aimed at moving our proven successful retail container profile forward.  The patent-pending technology involves using a diamond lattice structure on the internal surface of a container to give it added structural strength so that significantly less plastic is required to manufacture the container, while maintaining stack performance. This lightweighting results in fewer GHG emissions, less energy required to manufacture product and minimizes the generation of waste. Since less resin is used in these containers, we can offer solutions that are both lower in cost and more environmentally friendly."

Ropak's Diamond Weave Technology can be used to produce containers with capacities from 0.6 to 5.3 gallons in a variety of shapes and sizes – including square and rectangular for achieving the highest possible packing densities, with a minimum of secondary packaging materials.  Such space efficiency pays added dividends to manufacturers in terms of better truck loading and fewer trucks on the road for both loaded and unloaded containers – leading to further reductions in GHG emissions and cost.

Ropak is the largest producer of rigid plastic shipping containers in North America. The company serves a wide variety of industries – including consumer products, food processing, construction, dairy, petroleum, fishing and UN regulated products.  The combination of innovative products and exceptional customer service has made Ropak an industry leader.  Ropak is a member of the LINPAC Group – a $1.3 billion international packaging business.

SOURCE Ropak Packaging