Given the chart above, the other advantages to using our pouches required the least amount of energy to cool our product and the lowest land fill pressure by weight.
The pouch is a recycle number 7, meaning that most curbside recycling will not accept the pouch. The pouch when thrown away in the garbage still exhibits a sustainable properties. How this is so is described within the information that follows.
The following information is part of an executive summary from a report Uno Packaging engaged Provisor to compare the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with wine packaged in:
• An Astrapouch (flexible wine pouch) 1.5 Liter
• A standard glass bottle (750mL)
Due to the comparative nature of this study, the life cycle was completed according to the guidelines described in the international standard for life cycle assessment ISO: 14044. As the results of this study are likely to be disclosed to the public it is necessary for this work to be independently reviewed. Life Cycle Strategies, RMIT, have been asked to complete the independent review.
The Astrapouch demonstrates significant savings in Greenhouse Gas emissions when compared to a standard glass wine bottle. When considering the empty packaging alone the Astrapouch represents an 85% reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions compared to standard glass wine container (Figure 1.1) on a per liter equivalent basis.
Within Australia, claims relating to the packaging alone are not encouraged, instead any claims should relate to the entire product. When considering the entire life cycle Greenhouse Gas emissions, the Astrapouch represents a 45% reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions compared to a Standard glass wine container (Figure 1.1) on a per liter equivalent basis.
Although useful, greenhouse gas intensity is not the only way of quantifying the environmental credentials of a product. This report also considers the comparison between landfill volumes associated with waste glass bottles and waste Astrapouches. VISY recycling suggest that the Astrapouch will currently be rejected on recycling lines due to it not being produced from one type of plastic. However, due to its lightweight design the Astrapouch still exhibits waste savings in comparison to glass.
The results of the waste evaluation suggest that the use of an Astrapouch for wine packaging represents an approximate 90% reduction in landfill volume when compared to glass bottles (Figure 1.2) on a per liter equivalent basis. This figure assumes that half of the glass arriving at the landfill site is not crushed and so occupies the maximum volume within landfill theoretically possible. If 90% of the glass arrives crushed, then the savings in avoided landfill volume are reduced to about 70%.