Roberts PolyPro Sustainability Initiatives
Sustainable Packaging. Green Packaging. Environmental Packaging. You're seeing these phrases more and more now and with good reason - they focus on the idea that we should cut back, as much as possible, on the negative long-term effects we all have on the health of the Earth.
Definition of Sustainability:
Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Sustainability has long been a core part of the culture at Roberts PolyPro, though we might not have always called it sustainability. You see it in the products we make - from the raw materials going into our product to the time the product is discarded by the consumer; we've focused on minimizing the impact to the environment. Often it's about smarter choices- reducing waste and better processes. Sometimes it's more complex.
For your business, we know that sustainability extends beyond your doors. The partners you choose to help you create your product have a big impact on your performance. Roberts PolyPro is ready to help you with your sustainable packaging initiatives - here are some of the ways we're doing our part:
- Raw Materials - It all starts with the raw materials and the vast majority of our products are made of 100% recyclable High Density Polyethylene (HDPE #2).
- Manufacturing Process - Any scrap material resulting from the creation of our plastic products is reused to make new products. We also implement lean manufacturing methodologies (since 2006) to create a more efficient use of materials, further reducing waste and improving line and machine utilization. The efficiencies in our process help keep our costs down so we can pass on savings to our customers.
- Products - Our plastic products use significantly less plastic than competitive products. Our unique design and sheet extrusion process allows us to manufacture handles that are up to 75% thinner than competitive injection molded products, resulting in a leaner, less wasteful product.
- Shipping - Our products require 1/4 the shipping space of competitive products due to their unique design and use of less plastic. This means more of our lighter parts in a smaller space translating to less gas used and ultimately fewer trucks to ship the products from our facility to yours.
- Storage - The unique design of our plastic products also require 1/4 the storage space of competitive products. This means less corrugated dunnage (scrap) after our products are pulled from their boxes for use with your products.
- Your Packaging - When used in conjunction with most rigid plastic containers, our plastic products help you maintain a truly recyclable end product. We're a perfect fit for PET and HDPE bottles (currently more than 95% of the plastic bottle market in the U.S.) and ideal for industries such as bottled water, carbonated soft drinks, health energy, sports beverages, isotonics and more to help you maintain a "green package."
- Product Discarding - Since our products are 100% HDPE, they can be recycled in most areas with plastic recycling programs. HDPE can be downcycled into plastic lumber, tables, roadside curbs, benches, truck cargo liners, trash receptacles and other durable plastic products.
For more information on sustainable packaging, visit the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) web site at www.SustainablePackaging.org.
