Upstream:

• Use wooden pallet with lighter wood (make sure it still fits load capacity requirements)
• Use returnable pallets (typically plastic) - highly suitable for local and regular partners. More complicated for overseas operations but still possible.

Downstream:

• Resell/Return excess of pallets to second-hand pallet suppliers
• Contact neighbouring facilities to exchange pallets if possible
• Send broken pallets to recycling

Upstream:

• Use returnable packaging
• Go from triple-wall to double-wall to single-wall cardboard box (if suitable for your product)
• When managing products with variable size, use a 3D Packing Machine to optimise use of cardboard (see CMC Machinery)
• Reuse cardboard pads from other suppliers
• Use second-hand cardboard boxes

Downstream:

• Reuse cardboard boxes from suppliers
• Use old cardboard as fillers to remove the need for bubble wrap and plastic chips
• Collect and sell to a recycler

Upstream:

• If your products are not susceptible to moisture, consider removing shrink wrap and use only pallet strapping
• Consider using returnable pallet covers (particularly suitable for warehouses with low automation)
• If wrapping manually, use a wrapping machine instead
• Use a pre-stretched plastic shrink wrap (wrapping machine must be suitable)

Downstream:

• Collect separately plastic wrap and sell it to a recycler

Upstream:

There are 3 or 4 types of packaging: primary packaging, service packaging, secondary packaging & tertiary packaging. For each of them, challenges and strategy to implement are the same... Start with the packagings you use the most regularly, with the highest volume or with the highest cost.

REDESIGN:‍

• Redesign packaging to make it reusable (first objective), or recyclable, or compostable (not suitable at the moment for products destined to Singapore). Note that a change in the design of packaging will impact the customer's perception and requires a marketing exercise. Moving towards a returnable packaging might require a reassessment of the business model.
• Use PREP from Label for Recycling (L4R) for assessing the recyclability of packaging.
• Reduce the number of materials used (the more materials you use, the harder it is to recycle).

For high-level guidance on the overall sustainability of different packaging materials, check out the free online WWF Alternative Material Tool

To design recyclable packaging for Singapore,  work with the Packaging Recyclability Evaluation Portal (PREP) of Label for Recycling

REDUCE:

• Eliminate unnecessary packaging
• Reduce the use of materials (= make it lighter) by shortening or thining down material, or by using lighter alternative materials.
• Aim for packaging free

REUSE:

• For B2B with high frequency local partners, implement a reusable packaging that you can pick up at the next delivery. Particularly relevant for daily food delivery in B2B
• For B2C, it is more challenging and must be aligned with the company image. Consider outsourcing the management of consumer returnable packaging (see muuse model for example)

Downstream:

• Collect, segregate and recycle materials from out of specs products.

Upstream:

• If you have large volume of lost products, investigate the reasons and address them.

Downstream:

• If possible repair, repack and redirect towards second-hand or refurbished branches
• Collect and send to recycling