“Life is really simple, but men insist on making it complicated” a quote by Confucius

Today in the media, on outer cartons of packaging, in advertising we as the consumer are bombarded by all these “environmental” terms and it can be very confusing!

Herewith is a glossary of useful definitions and terms:
BAGASSE: IT IS THE FIBROUS RESIDUE LEFT AFTER JUICE HAS BEEN EXTRACTED FROM SUGAR CANE.
BIODEGRADABLE PRODUCTS: UPON DISPOSAL ARE CAPABLE OF BEING BROKEN DOWN BY BIOLOGICAL MICRO-ORGANISMS WITHOUT HARMING THE ENVIRONMENT.
CARBON FOOTPRINT (CF): IS THE OVERALL AMOUNT OF CARBON DIOXIDE (CO2) AND OTHER GREENHOUSE GAS (GHG) EMISSIONS ASSOCIATED WITH A PRODUCT, ALONG ITS LIFE CYCLE.
COMPOSTABLE: A CHARACTERISTIC OF A PRODUCT, PACKAGING OR ASSOCIATED COMPONENT THAT ALLOWS IT UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS TO BIODEGRADE, DISINTEGRATE, NOT HAVE AN NEGATIVE EFFECT TO THE COMPOST PROCESS AND WITH LOW LEVEL OF HEAVY METALS, GENERATING A RELATIVELY HOMOGENEOUS AND STABLE HUMUS-LIKE SUBSTANCE.
DEGRADABLE: A CHARACTERISTIC OF A PRODUCT OR PACKAGING THAT, WITH RESPECT TO SPECIFIC CONDITIONS, ALLOWS IT TO BREAK DOWN TO A SPECIFIC EXTENT WITHIN A GIVEN TIME.
ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY PRODUCT: THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT IS THAT THE RAW MATERIAL AND ONCE USED TO BE NON-TOXIC TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIM: A STATEMENT, SYMBOL OR GRAPHIC THAT INDICATES AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECT OF A PRODUCT, A COMPONENT OR PACKAGING.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: ANY CHANGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT, WHETHER ADVERSE OR BENEFICIAL, WHOLLY OR PARTIALLY RESULTING FROM AN ORGANIZATION’S ACTIVITIES OR PRODUCTS.
FOOD GRADE MATERIAL: IS DEFINED AS NON-TOXIC AND SAFE AND CAN BE USED FOR FOOD PRODUCTION, FOOD STORAGE AND FOOD PREPARATION PURPOSES.
FOREST STEWARDSHIP CERTIFICATE (FSC): ALL FORESTS WITH THIS CERTIFICATION ARE WELL-MANAGED AND MONITORED. FSC SETS STANDARDS ON FOREST PRODUCTS ALONG WITH CERTIFYING AND LABELLING THEM AS ECO-FRIENDLY.
GREENWASHING: THE DECEPTIVE USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MARKETING IN ORDER TO PROMOTE A MISLEADING PERCEPTION THAT A COMPANY’S POLICIES OR PRODUCTS ARE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE THAN THEY ACTUALLY ARE.

PET: POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE. PP: POLYPROPYLENE. PS: POLYSTYRENE.
PLA: IS A VERSATILE COMMERCIAL BIODEGRADABLE THERMOPLASTIC BASED ON LACTIC ACID. IT IS MADE FROM 100% RENEWABLE RESOURCES LIKE CORN STARCH WHICH IS FERMENTED TO PRODUCE LACTIC ACID.
RECYCLABLE: A CHARACTERISTIC OF A PRODUCT, PACKAGING OR ASSOCIATED COMPONENT THAT CAN BE DIVERTED FROM THE WASTE STREAM THROUGH AVAILABLE PROCESSES AND PROGRAMS AND CAN BE COLLECTED, PROCESSED AND RETURNED TO USE IN THE FORM OF RAW MATERIAL OR PRODUCTS.
RECYCLING SYMBOL: CONSISTS OF THREE CHASING ARROWS AND REFERRED TO AS THE MOBIUS LOOP.
RENEWABLE RESOURCE: A RESOURCE THAT IS GROWN, NATURALLY REPLENISHED, OR CLEANSED AT A RATE WHICH EXCEEDS DEPLETION OF THE USABLE SUPPLY OF THAT RESOURCE.
SUSTAINABILITY: CREATES AND MAINTAINS THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH HUMANS AND NATURE CAN EXIST IN PRODUCTIVE HARMONY, THAT PERMIT FULFILLING THE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.
WASTE: ANYTHING FOR WHICH THE GENERATOR OR HOLDER HAS NO FURTHER USE AND WHICH IS DISCARDED OR IS RELEASED TO THE ENVIRONMENT.
CONCLUSION:
Multi-cup Solutions, as a well-established food and beverage packaging supplier in the South African market, made the responsible decision to add a new range of environmentally friendly products to their extensive product list.

For more information on our full range of recyclable and enviro friendly food and beverage packaging contact us on 011 058 4200.