Packaging Challenges of Rapid Urbanization

OQ examined how polymers can help the industry address the food packaging and waste impacts of rapid urbanization, modern lifestyles, and environmental concerns. OQ hosted food packaging manufacturers at a webinar exploring the contribution that advanced polymers can make to enhancing environmental sustainability in food processing and packaging in an era of rapid urbanization. [caption id="attachment_125775" align="aligncenter"] (Photo: OQ, PR013)[/caption] The webinar reflected global concerns raised by the United Nations: one-third of all food produced globally is lost or wasted. The UN suggests that developing policies and interventions, including providing incentives to farmers and producers to make them more efficient and less wasteful on a cost-effective basis, can reduce food loss and waste. The OQ webinar demonstrated how food and products are packaged, how materials can be reused and distributed, can play an important role in reducing packaging costs and food waste, and thus can support the sustainability of megacities. The use of polyolefins in industries can lead to lower material costs, lower production costs, less waste, higher processing efficiency, lighter equipment parts, and lower packaging weight. OQ Polymer Marketing Manager Trevor Robinson explains: "Urbanization is one of five 'megatrends' identified by the United Nations that is driving major changes with significant impacts on environmental degradation and climate change in land use. With 1.5 million people added to the global urban population each week, food demand will more than double by 2050. Today, one-third of all food produced globally is being lost or wasted. However, environmental awareness of the environmental impacts of food waste and food packaging is increasing globally, and there is a strong shift from the take-make-dispose food packaging model, typically associated with single-use plastic packaging, toward sustainable packaging alternatives." Polymer products for food packaging developed by OQ offer greater durability and water resistance, for example OQ Luban DMDA-8007 - a secondary packaging grade that limits damage to food products from harsh weather conditions and heavy use. Lightweight primary packaging options developed with OQ polymers also reduce total load weight and reduce transportation frequency due to low packaging-to-product ratio. Examples include thin-walled rigid packaging where OQ Luban HP1151K delivers operational efficiency across the value chain from cycle time to weight reduction, and flexible packaging where OQ Luban DFDC-7080 combines easy processing and improved physical properties with superior aesthetics, making it an ideal material for replacing traditional food packaging with more sustainable solutions such as stand-up pouches. OQ also offers a wide range of Luban PP and PE products for cases and pallets for primary and secondary food packaging, rigid packaging for containers, caps and closures, and shirts and other food packaging films.