Elopak LCA finds carton outperforms plastic pouches in household packaging 

A new Elopak LCA finds that the company’s D-PAK cartons offer a lower environmental impact than low-density polyethylene (LDPE) pouches when used as refill packaging for household products.

The study, conducted by sustainability consultancy Anthesis, finds that using a D-PAK carton results in a 24% lower global warming impact than a 1 L plastic pouch, rising to 28% for a 1.8 L pouch. The environmental advantages of the D-PAK cartons remain equal when pouches are made from up to fully recycled material.

Emilie Olderskog, senior director for Sustainability at Elopak, tells Packaging Insights: “These findings show that Elopak cartons are a more sustainable packaging solution for laundry detergent than common refill alternatives like pouches.”

“At Elopak, we are committed to delivering more sustainable packaging options for our customers and their consumers. This LCA now demonstrates that by choosing fiber-based cartons, home and personal care brands can offer shoppers similar sustainability advantages as Elopak customers in the food and drink sector. This gives consumers a more environmentally responsible option right across the supermarket aisles.”

In terms of resource use, D-PAK cartons are associated with a 33% lower resource scarcity impact than a 1 L pouch, increasing to 38% for the 1.8 L pouch. The cartons also reduce plastic use, containing 9.0 g of plastic versus 20.1 g in LDPE pouches and 76.7 g in PP bottles.

The study builds on earlier LCA research, including a 2020 meta-analysis commissioned by the Food and Beverage Carton Alliance, which showed beverage cartons had a lower average carbon footprint than PET, single-use glass, or reusable glass bottles.