Sustainable Packaging Audit FAQ
What should a sustainable packaging audit cover?
A complete audit covers six areas: material composition (resins, fibers, coatings, adhesives), packaging weight and volume, recyclability in the real collection systems of each target market, regulatory compliance (such as EU PPWR obligations and EPR rules), supplier documentation and certification, and the substantiation behind every environmental claim printed on the pack.
How do I assess whether my packaging is recyclable in practice?
Recyclability depends on local systems, not on material labels. Check the item against your target markets' sorting guidelines, confirm the size is not lost in sorting, and remove barriers such as mixed-material structures, full-wrap plastic sleeves on paper, and hard-to-remove adhesives. If collectors and sorters in the market do not accept the format, treat it as non-recyclable in that market.
What documents should I request when auditing a packaging supplier?
Request food-contact compliance test reports, current certificates for every environmental claim, material composition declarations, mass-balance or chain-of-custody evidence for recycled content, and facility-level certifications such as ISO management systems. Every document must be current, product-specific, and traceable to the exact SKU you purchase — generic brochures do not count as evidence.
How long does a packaging sustainability audit take?
A first-pass audit of a typical SKU range takes two to four weeks: one week to gather material declarations and weight data, one week to check recyclability against market sorting rules and compliance texts, and one week to verify claims and certificates. Deep supplier facility audits add separate timelines if on-site visits are involved.
What are the first quick wins from a packaging audit?
The fastest wins are lightweighting over-engineered structures, removing mixed-material barriers that block recyclability (for example plastic windows in paper mailers), consolidating components that serve no documented function, and deleting unsubstantiated green wording from packs. These changes reduce cost and regulatory exposure at the same time.
How often should a brand re-run its packaging audit?
Run a full audit at least annually, and re-audit any SKU whenever the material, structure, supplier, or target market changes. Regulation such as the EU PPWR and recyclability expectations are moving targets, so an audit cadence tied to material change events plus a yearly baseline keeps claims and compliance current.