Opening Up to Sustainability

Fun and games were in store for visitors to Alcan Packaging Pharma Center’s open house in Shelbyville, KY, in September. Event organizers had set up a table for playing Alcan Packaging’s proprietary new educational board game, EcoChallenge.

Invented by Alcan’s Nina Goodrich, Lori Bogdanis, Laurence Kereroux, Xavier Martelli, and Jacqueline Murray, the patent-pending board game is designed as a teaching platform to help players consider how personal and business activity plays a role in global sustainability. “The goal is not to guess at the answers, but rather to understand them,” says Goodrich. “Much of the game focuses on creating a personal understanding and framework for sustainability. Once players establish a personal understanding, it is easy for them to get on board corporately.”

Presented in the answers are several “unintended consequences” of package selection, says Goodrich. “It is critical to go beyond what materials are used to form the package and also look at the role the package plays in the life cycle of the product, including end-use.”

Alcan utilizes the game to introduce ASSET, the Alcan Sustainability Stewardship Evaluation Tool. ASSET is Alcan’s life cycle–based product-stewardship tool designed to help understand packaging alternatives with respect to sustainability considerations. The assessment of different products is based on quantitative environmental criteria (ISO 14040) and qualitative criteria for social and long-term economic considerations. Outputs include greenhouse gas emissions, water use, waste, and other ecoindicators.

ASSET combines life-cycle analysis with a look at social, economic, and environmental criteria, which Alcan calls the triple-bottom line. Considering that trio means looking at the life cycle of a product and its package, says Goodrich, and ASSET helps manufacturers get started. For instance, “the social aspects of a package are often not included in a typical life-cycle analysis. But if a package, such as a compliance-encouraging package, can contribute to a patient’s taking medication as prescribed, the outcome for the patient may be better.” And better health may keep patients out of hospitals or further treatment, indirectly minimizing further resource use. “Sustainability is more than just a greenhouse gas measurement,” she says.

In addition, the protection that packaging may afford can play a role in sustainability. “Product spoilage can be prevented and product actually used,” adds Goodrich. Barrier packaging may also eliminate the need for secondary packaging or special handling in the field, which could lead in reduction of further materials or energy used.

Michael Rubenstein, Alcan Packaging’s chief growth and innovation office, calls EcoChallenge a “fun way to learn about sustainability.” Rubenstein has been a key sponsor of the project and the idea.

Alcan Packaging Pharma Center provides blister package films and foils, pouch and strip pack laminates, and sterilizable lidding as well as anticounterfeiting technology and prototyping services. The September open house celebrated further expansion to the Shelbyville facility.

The open house of the Pharmaceutical Flexibles’ business unit of Alcan Global Pharmaceutical Packaging culminated a week of seminars and tours of the expansion.