Reduce emissions with biobased packaging
Marc Martens
Reducing the carbon footprint of packaging often starts with material choice—but performance, safety and application requirements still need to be met. CurTec biobased drums, pails and jars use HDPE made from sugarcane ethanol, giving customers a renewable alternative to fossil-based HDPE for the handling and containment of critical materials.
A renewable alternative to fossil-based HDPE
CurTec uses biobased HDPE made from sugarcane ethanol*. Unlike fossil-based polyethylene, the feedstock originates from a renewable biological resource.
Biobased HDPE has the same molecular structure as conventional HDPE. It can therefore be processed using conventional plastic converting equipment and recycled within existing polyethylene recycling streams where suitable collection and recycling infrastructure is available.
CurTec products are PPWR-ready
For customers, this means that switching the source of the raw material does not require switching to a fundamentally different type of plastic. Biobased packaging can therefore support sustainability objectives while retaining familiar packaging characteristics and handling processes.
Lower the carbon footprint of your packaging material
The sugarcane-based HDPE used for biobased packaging has a lower cradle-to-gate carbon footprint than conventional fossil-based HDPE according to supplier life-cycle assessment data.
Sugarcane absorbs CO₂ from the atmosphere as it grows. This biogenic carbon uptake is taken into account when assessing the carbon footprint of the resulting biobased material**.
For customers looking to reduce the environmental impact of their supply chain, replacing fossil-based raw material with a renewable alternative can therefore be one part of a broader carbon reduction strategy.
Material choice, however, is only one factor. Packaging weight, transport, reuse, recycling and the requirements of the application all influence the overall environmental impact of a packaging flow.
Biobased does not mean biodegradable
Biobased HDPE behaves like conventional HDPE and is not biodegradable. Packaging made from it should therefore remain within controlled collection, reuse and recycling systems and should never be littered.
At end of life, recycling helps keep the material in circulation. Where the application, product and process allow it, extending the useful life of packaging through reuse can provide an additional opportunity to reduce resource use.
Biobased drums, pails and jars
CurTec offers Wide Neck Drums, Click Pack pails and Packo jars made from biobased HDPE. Biobased versions can be recognized by their characteristic bio-green lids.
The different formats allow customers to introduce renewable material across different packaging flows, from smaller quantities and samples to larger volumes of critical materials.
Biobased Wide Neck Drums combine renewable HDPE with the familiar performance of CurTec screw-lid drums. They provide moisture protection, tamper evidence and UN-certified options for applications involving hazardous solids. Food-grade versions are also available.
For customers already using Wide Neck Drums, biobased versions provide an opportunity to reduce dependence on fossil-based raw materials while retaining familiar handling and packaging performance.
Discover biobased Wide neck drums
Packo jars made from biobased HDPE support smaller-volume packaging flows and are available with two closure configurations:
- A screw lid with integrated gasket
- A screw lid combined with a separate inner lid
They provide moisture protection, tamper evidence and UN-certified options and are available for food-contact applications.
Biobased Click Pack pails combine renewable HDPE with a quarter-turn screw lid for quick opening and closing. Their tapered design also allows empty pails to nest, helping reduce the space required for storage and internal logistics.
They provide moisture protection, tamper evidence and UN-certified options and are available for food-contact applications.
Discover biobased Click Pack pails
Look beyond the material
Choosing more sustainable packaging is rarely about one material characteristic alone. The right approach depends on what you pack, how the packaging is handled, regulatory and qualification requirements, transport conditions and what happens to the packaging after use.
Biobased material may be the right choice for one packaging flow, while recycled material, reuse or material reduction may create greater value elsewhere.
CurTec works with customers to understand these requirements and identify packaging solutions that help reduce environmental impact without compromising the protection and handling of critical materials.
Ask us about more sustainable packaging options
* The biobased carbon content of CurTec biobased packaging is verified according to ASTM D6866.
** Carbon footprint results depend on the methodology and system boundaries used. Contact CurTec if you would like to understand our approach to biogenic CO₂ accounting.
