Amcor adopts PIQET

Packaging manufacturer Amcor has adopted the Packaging Impact Quick Evaluation Tool (PIQET), enabling it to provide its customers with clear environmental impact information on its range of products.

The Sustainable Packaging Alliance (SPA) provides PIQET for packaging designers and manufacturers to identify, review and reduce the environmental impact of their products.

Amcor is said to be the first packaging company to use PIQET to provide customers with informed data on the impact of its products, to benchmark its products and processes and develop strategies to reduce the impact of packaging.

“PIQET provides us with a rapid, scientifically based tool for assessing the impact of packaging designs and process improvements. It allows us to take a value chain approach to sustainable design, a capability which was previously difficult and required significant resource investment in life cycle assessment studies,” said Dr Juanita Day, group manager sustainability services.

“It is easily used by all business units including sales and marketing, product designers, and technical product development professionals. The environmental impact of a packaging system over its full life cycle is assessed quickly."

The reports include graphics that indicate environmental impact across a number of categories including climate change, solid waste, water and energy. It also allows users to explore variations in packaging design and supply chains to identify possible improvements.

“PIQET allows environmental information to be presented to our customers alongside functional, financial and marketing factors — something that could not be done easily before,” said Day.

PIQET is available by subscription and is already used by a number of leading food and beverage companies, many of whom were involved in its development.