San Antonio, TX.   RIPA President Paul Rankin gave a keynote presentation to members of the Petroleum Packaging Council (“PPC”) on the environmental benefits of industrial packaging reuse.  Speaking to over 150 industry professionals and suppliers, Rankin observed that as global concerns about human environmental impacts mount, companies around the world are working together and alongside government policy makers to find new and innovative ways to reduce carbon emissions.  One of the issues that is getting a lot of attention is packaging reuse.    

PPC is a 70 year-old trade group that provides technical leadership and education to the petroleum packaging and blending industry.  

Rankin provided an overview of two life cycle studies supported by RIPA which show significant environmental advantages from the use of multi-trip industrial packagings on all significant points of measurement, including carbon emissions, energy use and waste generation.  Rankin explained that the studies show carbon emission savings (“CO2E”) arising from one round trip, and neither study looked at the CO2E savings derived from multiple trips of the same container.  Presently, CO2E savings arising from multiple trips of the same container are never calculated.

Rankin believes that that coupling Artificial Intelligence with industrial packaging supply, delivery and reuse systems, is the way to address this problem.  For example, equipping durable plastic totes, plastic drums and metal containers with Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to track location and usage cycles, implementing blockchain solutions to manage complex and proprietary reverse logistics, and developing innovative processes to ensure safe reuse of industrial packagings, is just around the corner.  

These technologies will enable container users and their suppliers to develop a scientifically valid statement of Scope 3 carbon savings derived from the purchase of reconditioned industrial packagings.  Scope 3 emissions are all indirect CO2E emissions that occur in a company’s value chain, but are not directly owned or controlled by the reporting organization.  Many national governments allow companies purchasing packagings to count Scope 3 emission reductions in their overall emission calculations.  In other words, valid CO2E savings from packaging reuse can be used by customers to reduce their carbon footprint. 

Rankin urged PPC members to consider the use of robust industrial containers that can be used and reused many times.  “Robust containers mean more round-trips, less scrap and greater carbon savings in the long run.”