BNL UK have been making a switch to sustainable packaging by working to reduce packaging waste from our UK factory and increasing sustainable, re-useable or recycled packaging materials.
- 100% our cardboard packaging is now FSC certified
- All of our cardboard packaging is between 30% and 70% recycled material
- Over 60% of the total cardboard box packaging used by BNL is 70% recycled cardboard
- Approximately 75% of our plastic bag packaging is now 80% recycled materials
- 17% of our plastic bag packaging is customer-specified re-useable bags
- Approximately 92% of our plastic bag packaging is either 80% recycled or re-useable
- We participate in a number returnable/re-useable packaging schemes with our customers
Sustainable cardboard packaging
The FSC, or Forestry Stewardship Council, is a recognized and trusted overseer of sustainable forestry practices worldwide. They certify sustainability through the supply chain of paper products via chain of custody. FSC certified packaging ensures us, and our customers, that the paper is sourced from well-managed forestry, where tress are harvested with no net loss of forest over time; workers are paid and treated fairly; the workforce are trained and work in a safe environment; local communities do not have their land and legal rights infringed upon; and conservation practices protect the local animal and plant species.
Recycled plastic packaging
Last year, we switched nearly three quarters of our plastic bag packaging to an 80% recycled material, provided by Flexipol, another company within the Synnovia Group. The bags are used for packaging anything from automotive to poultry wheels.
Additionally, for a growing number of customers from beacons and electronics to mail solutions, we participate in a re-useable/returnable packaging scheme, that sees plastic and wooden crates and foam packaging inserts transferred to and from us to the customer. Many of our bearing products that go into ATMs and cash handling applications use plastic packaging that whilst not made from recycled products, is specified to a particular thickness so it can be reused.
Sustainable packaging goals
Our continued investment in moving to sustainable packaging reflects the overall stance of the Synnovia Group, who are committed to increasing the recycling of internal waste, increasing use of recyclable and re-useable materials, and researching materials that contribute to reducing energy consumption and waste at end-of-life.
Our sister company, C & T Matrix, has recently announced a transition to using exclusively recycled packaging.
The challenge for us going forward is working with our customers to switch customer specified packaging to recycled, reuseable or sustainable options. Recycled material options for packaging may be less robust and some of our packaging is specified by our customers to ensure safe transport of heavier or bulkier parts, or to meet local or regional legislation. We continue to work with our customers to identify recycled or re-useable options, whilst still being strong enough to safely transport heavier parts and meet customer packaging or logistics requirements. Other areas of focus are, identifying dividers and other small packaging products that can be swapped for 100% recycled materials, minimizing packaging by design, using current sustainable packaging for any new products to market, minimizing end-of-life waste from the packaging we do use.
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