Costco Eliminating Bubble Packs, Ups Recycling Potential With MeadWestvaco’s “Natralock”
by John Laumer, Philadelphia on 08.17.06
Costco is replacing some of its plastic packaging clamshells with Natralock , a new paperboard-based product made by MeadWestvaco. Natralock combines paperboard with a much smaller plastic bubble segment. According to the promotional literature, a standard scissors will safely open a the paper segment of the package, helping to eliminate “Wrap Rage.”
MeadWestvaco coats the paperboard, applying a heat-seal material, as well as an optional, more tear-resistant material for high dollar value applications. Graphics are then printed on the paperboard surface. The enclosed, smaller area of plastic bubble is made of APET (amorphous polyester). The result is that the printed “billboard” surface does not need to be independently encapsulated in the bubble, which means less total petrochemical use.
Not recognized in the sales literature we saw is the concept of Tree Hugger Rage: the over the top sense of dismay and anger created when a resource conscious customer is forced to spend hard earned money on wasteful packaging. Gratefully, Natralock helps relieve this, and Wrap Rage.
The worst thing about those plastic shell things.. no joke, I bought a pack of 5 different sized scissors from a hobby store, and the SCISSORS came in those impossible-to-open plastic wraps.. I needed scissors to open it.
Mikey ya gave me a laugh for the day, great moments in packaging.
I bought some CF bulbs in a similar pack from Ikea and I found it so refreshing. They had a marked cut line and one straight cut allowed the package to be opened easily.
Is Natralock made from recycled paper?
=== author's response follows ===
By my reading of their website, the answer is "yes". More importantly, perhaps, is the question of whether the tear resistant coating keeps the paperboard recyclable. Again, that seems to be the case.
I was also curious about the recyclabilty of the plastic and I came across a page which explained Natralock that, in fact, the sealing of the plastic to the board eliminates it from most recycling programs (as with most packs of this type that seal paper and plastic together):
KINDER TO THE ENVIRONMENT...
• Recyclability-Natralock's primary material, paperboard can be readily recycled by 57% of the population, while the plastic bubble is not accepted in most recycling programs, it can be easily removed, allowing the paperboard to be effectively recycled
Information found at: http://www.displaypack.com/services/natralock.html