Carbon footprint for LINPAC Allibert

introduction

LINPAC Allibert was introduced to us by the Carbon Trust as part of their pilot programme of work for the carbon footprint of products and services in the build up to the issue of the Publicly Available Specification 2050:2008 Assessment of the Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Goods and Services.

LINPAC Allibert for some time had held the view that their re-usable plastic crates used for the distribution of goods in the supermarket supply chain were a better environmental option than the use of single-trip cardboard boxes but had no evidence to prove this assumption. This, together with LINPAC Allibert's commitment to research and provide solutions to the environmental issues facing the packaging industry led them to undertake a carbon footprint assessment of specific products with us.

challenge

The challenge was to conduct a carbon footprint comparing the two modes of distribution on a fair and consistent basis and within the draft PAS 2050 standard which was due to be released at the end of the project. For LINPAC Allibert the aim was to choose from its wide range of plastic crates the products that would give a good representation of the re-use model without in any way favouring plastic crates over cardboard and to have a method of using the results in a flexible way so that it could replicate the exercise for each of its approximately 200 individual products.

solution

After agreeing the scope of the study with the client we undertook the data collection exercise across the UK and European operations of LINPAC. Data quality was assured by conforming with PAS 2050 principles and carbon footprint calculations were produced using SimaPro software and the Carbon Trust toolkit. The results were consolidated into a single reporting tool providing a flexible entry of product data and the number of trips representing the typical life-cycle of a crate. By adjusting a number of parameters LINPAC Allibert can calculate the carbon savings a customer would make by replacing cardboard with reusable plastic crates.

outcome

Based on a functional unit of one litre volume of goods transported per the typical number of trips in a plastic crate life-cycle the study confirmed LINPAC Allibert's long-held assumptions that plastic crates in a re-usable distribution system had a significantly lower carbon footprint than single-use cardboard boxes.

The study also highlighted the "hot-spots" in the lifecycle of a plastic crate from raw material extraction, manufacturing, transport through the supply chain, washing and disposal providing an opportunity to consider how the environmental impacts in these areas could be minimised.

As a result of the carbon footprint work, LINPAC Allibert has been able to prove their view and demonstrate the carbon savings that can be achieved by using their product above cardboard alternatives. Large retailers are increasingly focused on their supply chains to reduce their associated environmental impacts and LINPAC Allibert have demonstrated they are leading the field in this area, providing solutions that are both innovative and reduce carbon. They have been successful in winning new business as a result of the carbon footprinting work, demonstrating that there is real value in integrating carbon into core business values.

The work and associated press and media coverage has also supported the LINPAC Allibert brand and provided them with a clear competitive advantage, positioning them as thought leaders in their industry.

"I would like to thank Sustain for orchestrating the RTP (Returnable Transit Packaging) carbon footprint study. Thanks for your care, diligence and expertise in meeting the requirements stipulated by PAS2050."

Simon Mendes, Senior Product Manager, Linpac Allibert