Sunday, January 18, 2015

How A Sustainable Cold Chain Can Be Established In Industry

By Cindy H. Cassidy


Special care must be taken in the transport of products such as perishable foods and medical vaccines to ensure that they remain fresh and safe to use, the mechanism of transport for this purpose is called a "cold chain" system. Manufacturers today must be concerned with not only the integrity of these item, but also maintaining a sustainable cold chain that makes less negative impact on the environment.

The packaging used for transporting goods delivered using a cold chain system must be designed to first of all protect these products from any harm and and maintain their quality, and at the same time, safeguard the environment. Examples of "green" packaging options include reusable designs, those made from sustainable materials, and those which are readily biodegradable. Minimizing the amount of packaging is also helpful because it means less resources are needed to manufacture it and transport it.

An in-depth analysis of the carbon footprint and the life-cycle of all packaging implemented in the shipping process is necessary in order to identify changes that need to be made if it is to be less damaging to the environment. Packaging companies can employ experts who will conduct such detailed studies and provide them with viable solutions where packaging options are concerned.

Eliminating waste is one useful tactic for increasing the sustainability of the cold chain shipment system. Minimizing the amount of packaging materials not only means that fewer raw materials are required, but also that it can optimize every delivery allowing more to be shipped in one load.

The concept of reusable packaging also lends itself to eco-friendly shipping practices. Packages that can be readily cleaned and returned to the supplier after delivery may initially cost more to develop but in the long run it will end up saving money and resources. Materials used must rank high in durability if they are to be used repeatedly.

The implementation of recycling can also contribute considerably to the green factor where shipping is concerned. When recovered materials are used to manufacture packaging this eliminates the extra energy needed to ship and process new material, cutting down on greenhouse gas production and space that would have been take up in landfills.

In some cases it is unavoidable that packaging materials will have to be send to a landfill, this is why the material selection is so important. Choosing materials which are less destructive to the environment and will not break down to release dangerous methane gas is critical. One example of this is expanded polystyrene which has the added advantage of aerating the soil to stimulate plant growth.




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