Procter & Gamble

We take a holistic approach to packaging design and material selection. By conducting science-based Life Cycle Assessments, we examine the environmental impact of our products to make the most meaningful improvements. We are always searching for innovative solutions—whether it’s using modeling and simulation to make a more lightweight bottle, or finding a way to ship product without corrugated cases. By partnering with new firms and working with existing suppliers through our Connect & Develop program, we are uncovering new ways to do more with less.

Renewables
A renewable resource is simply defined as one that is produced by natural processes at a rate comparable to its rate of consumption. Materials that qualify as renewable resources are usually derived from biomass (e.g., cellulose).

P&G is partnering with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to focus on sustainable sourcing of materials for P&G products, including renewable forest products and palm oil. As we move to using more renewable materials, particularly materials such as pulp and palm oil, we need to ensure that production does not lead to loss of natural ecosystems, with associated loss of biodiversity. Our sustainable forestry policy already requires us to only source pulp from certified sustainable operations. P&G’s Family Care business has been a member of WWF’s Global Forest & Trade Network - North America for over a year, and we plan to extend and broaden our joint work in this area. In addition, we are working to ensure that we only source palm oil and derivatives from confirmed responsible and sustainable sources by 2015.

Recently, P&G announced our planned use of sustainably sourced sugarcane-derived plastic on Pantene, Covergirl and Max Factor. The new material is made in an innovative process which transforms sugarcane into high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic, a type commonly used for product packaging. It remains 100% recyclable in existing municipal recycling facilities. In addition, P&G has a major R&D effort underway to identify new renewable materials and ways to source existing materials from renewable feedstocks. In most cases, we work with suppliers and external R&D partners to develop renewable materials.

Committed to Renewable Materials

A bottle that balances nature. Pantene is piloting the use of plant-based plastic in its packaging. This innovative material made from sugarcane— a first for the mass hair care industry— debuted in the Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion collection last April in Western Europe, and is expanding to North America in Fall 2011.

Sourced from our supplier Braskem® in Brazil, the sugarcane is converted into ethanol and eventually into plastic utilizing a by-product from the rest of the plant to provide some of the energy needed to fuel this process.

“We felt that a highly productive plant like sugarcane could be a sustainable feedstock for producing next-generation renewable plastic containers. Due diligence dictated that we understand the specific agricultural practices being used and potential environmental impacts associated with the entire life cycle of this new plastic. Given World Wildlife Fund’s expertise in sugarcane and its sourcing, we sought their guidance as we took this first step in a longer journey toward more sustainable packaging materials. Furthermore, we conducted a number of comprehensive studies, including a life cycle assessment and a food impact analysis. Then we went to Brazil, not only to talk to the manufacturer, but to visit fields to see how farmers grow and harvest the crop and to visit the mills to see how it’s processed. In that way, we could observe first-hand how potential environmental impacts were avoided or minimized. As a result of these efforts, we were able to confirm that the sugarcane being used is definitely sustainably sourced and the plastic itself provides tangible sustainability benefits.”

Plant-based plastic is a significant environmental innovation. When compared to traditional petroleum-based (HDPE) plastic, it:

• Reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 170% because (1) as sugarcane grows, it absorbs CO2 that is stored in plastic when it is recycled or landfilled, and (2) a large portion of the energy used to produce Bio-PE is from renewable biomass, which emits less GHG.
• Consumes over 70% less fossil fuels than petroleum-based plastic
• Can be recycled in traditional facilities that recycle petroleum-based plastic

Eliminating PVC
Commonly found in “clamshell” and “blister” packages, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) has been a widely used packaging material across much of the consumer goods industry for many years. PVC has also been the source of recurring controversy regarding its disposal to household solid waste incinerators, and its compatibility with plastics recycling. As a result, P&G began to avoid the use of PVC in its packaging in the early-1990s.

It is a challenge to find technically effective and affordable alternatives to PVC for some applications. However, in partnership with our packaging suppliers, we have overcome many of these barriers. Today, PVC represents less than 1.5% of the Company’s total use of plastic packaging materials.

We expect to eliminate all remaining uses of PVC in our packaging within the next few years.