Integrierte Vermeidung und Verminderung der Umweltverschmutzung

2.1.8.1.3 Description of techniques, methods and equipment
Chapter 2
The European Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC [213, EC, 1994], states the
following:
Article 3
Definitions for the purposes of this Directive:
1. “packaging” shall mean all products made of any materials of any nature to be used for the
containment, protection, handling, delivery and presentation of goods, from raw materials to
processed goods, from the producer to the user or the consumer. “Non-returnable” items used
for the same purposes shall also be considered to constitute packaging.
“Packaging” consists only of:
(a) sales packaging or primary packaging, i. e. packaging conceived so as to constitute a sales
unit to the final user or consumer at the point of purchase;
(b) grouped packaging or secondary packaging, i. e. packaging conceived so as to constitute at
the point of purchase a grouping of a certain number of sales units whether the latter is sold
as such to the final user or consumer or whether it serves only as a means to replenish the
shelves at the point of sale; it can be removed from the product without affecting its
characteristics;
(c) transport packaging or tertiary packaging, i. e. packaging conceived so as to facilitate
handling and transport of a number of sales units or grouped packagings in order to
prevent physical handling and transport damage. Transport packaging does not include
road, rail, ship and air containers;
Most FDM products involve primary, secondary and tertiary packaging processes throughout
the manufacture and distribution chain.
The packaging materials used in the FDM sector are textiles, wood, metal, glass, rigid and semirigid
plastic, flexible plastic films, paper and board.
Textiles have poor barrier properties. Textile bags are still used to transport bulk products
including grain, flour, sugar and salt. Wooden shipping containers have traditionally been used
for a range of foods, such as fruits, vegetables, tea, wines, spirits and beer. Wooden containers
were replaced a long time ago in some sectors, and are now increasingly being replaced
everywhere by plastic drums and crates.
Hermetically sealed, metal cans have high barrier properties and can withstand high and low
temperatures. The materials used for metal cans are steel (tinplate or tin-free), and aluminium,
but they may also be coated with tin or lacquers to prevent interactions with the foods within the
can. Metal cans are widely used for soft drinks and beer. They are also used for canning
sterilised foods, e.g. fruit, vegetables, condensed milk and meat products. Metal cans are
recyclable. Aluminium foil is also widely used to pack several types of food.
Glass has high barrier properties, is inert, and is suitable for heat and microwave processing.
However, two disadvantages of glass are the weight and the risk of fracturing. Glass bottles and
jars are widely used for milk, beer, wines and spirits, preserves, pastes and purées and also for
some foods and instant drinks. Glass bottles and jars are re-usable and recyclable.
Rigid and semi-rigid plastic containers include bottles, jars, cups, trays and tubs made from
single or co extruded polymers. They are low weight, tough and unbreakable, easy to seal, have
reasonably high barrier properties and great chemical resistance. Several techniques are
available for the production of these containers, such as thermoforming, blow moulding,
injection blow moulding, extrusion blow moulding and stretch blow moulding. Typical
materials used are PVC (polyvinylchloride), PS (polystyrene), PP (polypropylene), XPP
(expanded polypropylene, for thermoforming), HDPE (high density polyethylene), PET
(polyethylene terephthalate), and polycarbonate. The containers are often made on-site. Some of
the containers are re-usable, e.g. polycarbonate bottles for milk. Rigid and semi-rigid plastic
containers are typically used for milk, soft drinks, dairy products, margarine, dried foods and
ice-cream.
RHC/EIPPCB/FDM_BREF_FINAL January 2006 49