Sweet eco-balance: How clever is jam packaged?
In a research project between zhaw and Hero AG, a life cycle assessment for jams was established. Between June 2016 and October 2017, researchers examined packaging solutions. Aluminum or glass - which packaging variant performs better from an ecological perspective?
How could a comparative life cycle assessment for jams turn out? Single-serving jams, as used in the catering industry, are filled in either aluminum or glass packaging. Which jam variant performs better from an ecological point of view? Is aluminum packaging really as harmful to the environment as its reputation suggests?
This question was investigated by the Life Cycle Assessment research group at the Institute for Environment and Natural Resources (IUNR) at zhaw and came to the conclusion that, in addition to the material, the distribution or transport also plays a decisive role.
One product - several variants
Hero AG, based in Lenzburg, produces over 100 different types of jams. These are filled in containers of different materials and sizes, such as large jars or single portions. Single portions are used in the catering industry, by airlines and in the retail trade and are made either of aluminum (AluCup) or glass (MiniJar).
Experts from the Life Cycle Assessment Research Group assessed the environmental impact of single-serve glass and aluminum jams using strawberry jam as an example.
Comparative life cycle assessment
The life cycle assessment is a standardized method and quantifies the environmental impact of products over their life cycle. In the case of the strawberry jam in single portions, this comprises the production and filling of the jam, the material consumption for the packaging, the distribution to the end customer, and the disposal of the packaging after consumption. The evaluation was carried out using a set of different indicators that take into account climate change, resource consumption and pollutant emissions.
What influences the life cycle assessment?
Jam in portion packs has a wide range of negative consequences for the environment - from the irrigation of the strawberries to energy consumption during jam cooking, particulate emissions from the combustion of fuels in distribution, and carbon dioxide emissions from the disposal of the packaging. The origin of the strawberries, the material and weight of the portion packaging, and the transport distance to the end consumer are the most important influencing factors.
Container size is crucial
The environmental impact of single portions is lower the smaller the portion size is, because the amount of packaging per piece is reduced. On the other hand, the environmental impact in relation to a kilogram of jam increases the smaller the content of a single portion. To improve the life cycle assessment, it is therefore essential to optimize the size of the individual portion depending on the intended use.
If the portion is too small, more than one portion is opened and the amount of packaging increases. If, on the other hand, the portion is too large, this leads to food losses.
Environmentally friendly means: lightly packaged and consumed locally
A comparison of the two packaging variants shows: jam portions in AluCups cause 3.5 times less environmental impact than jam portions in MiniJars. The production of glass MiniJars is energy-intensive. In addition, AluCups are lighter than MiniJars. Less aluminum is used per jam portion in AluCups than glass is used in MiniJars.
The low weight of AluCups results in lower greenhouse gas emissions in distribution: the lighter a transported good and the shorter the transport distance, the lower the climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions.
For more information on the life cycle assessment of jam packaging, please contact Sarah Wettstein, Scientific Assistant (krez@zhaw.ch) or Matthias Stucki, Head of the Life Cycle Assessment Research Group (stck@zhaw.ch).
