Recyclable Packaging Materials Research Articles

Utilization of Alternative Fibres Manufactured from Recycled PET Bottles in Concrete Technology for the Improvement of Fire Resistance

This article addresses the potential use of secondary polymer fibres in the field of structural concrete as a replacement for primary polymer fibres (mainly polypropylene/PP/), which are used in concrete to enhance its resistance when exposed to high temperatures (especially in the case of fire). Research has shown that, in addition to PP fibres, polyethylene terephthalate/PET/fibres, produced by recycling packaging materials (mainly PET bottles), can also be used as an alternative. These fibres are industrially produced in similar dimensions as PP fibres and exhibit similar behaviour when added to fresh and hardened concrete. In terms of their effect on increasing resistance to extreme heat loads, it has been found that despite a higher melting point (Tm), concrete with these fibres demonstrates comparable fire resistance. Therefore, it can be concluded that secondary PET fibres represent an interesting alternative to primary PP fibres from the perspective of a circular economy, and their use in construction represents a potentially valuable application for PET obtained through the collection and recycling of PET packaging materials.

Формирование свойств биодеградируемых пленок на основе рыбного желатина

Nowadays in the food and nutrition industry special attention is paid to the creation of non-toxic, easily recy-clable packaging materials of a new assortment, capable of providing reliable protection of products from harmful factors. The object of the study was biodegradable film compositions based on fish gelatin and agar, with the addition of plasticizing agent - glycerol. Experimental and analytical studies were carried out using standard and original methods. Modeling of the process of thermal treatment of film compositions was carried out, the experimental dependence of moisture absorption of films on temperature (range 120-160 °C) and duration of the thermal modification process (10-30 minutes) was established. The possibility of thermal modification of biodegradable film compositions was determined. The rational mode of thermal treatment of films is the temperature interval of 140 °C for 20 minutes, which allows to keep the moisture absorption index at the maximum level (842%), exceeding the initial index by 8.4 times, during 120 hours. The established parameters of thermal structuring allow to keep organoleptic quality indicators of films at a high level and to obtain a homogeneous, porous and elastic film. Thermally modified films at temperatures of 140 and 160 °C are characterized by increased dissolution time up to 40 and 70 minutes respectively at dissolution temperature of 60 °C and up to 15 and 30 minutes respectively at dissolution temperature of 75 °C. It is shown that thermal modification of biodegradable films will contribute to compliance with safety requirements, environmental friendliness, absence of toxicity. Thermal modification allows to increase functional and technological properties of composite biodegradable films, which can be used to create a wide range of modern packaging barrier materials.

Value Addition and Coconut-Based Beverages: Current Perspectives

(1) Background: The definition of value addition is based on the process or processes which are used to transform, physically, the initial raw material into the final food or non-food article. Diversification can enhance the possibility of increased gains. The aim of this work is to give a reliable description of value addition when speaking of coconut-based beverages among all possible derivatives. (2) Methods: A systematic review in which the main papers on the argument have been critically examined and discussed. (3) Results: Processing degree is a consequence of consumers’ requests. Three different drivers for value addition have been considered: packaging, durability, and size options; sensorial features; and sustainability. The results of this investigation have highlighted the added value of several products because of recyclable packaging materials, intermediate- or long-durability expectations, different available sizes, and good or excellent sensorial performances. (4) Conclusions: There are different value-added coconut-based beverages with interesting perspectives. On the other hand, sustainability and eco-friendly policies may be a problem for those products that are produced similarly to non-coconut-based beverages. The opportunity presented by certified organic and/or fair-trade products could help the coconuts industry in the near future. More research is still needed on this topic.

Paper Coatings Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol and Cellulose Nanocrystals Using Various Coating Techniques and Determination of Their Barrier Properties

The goal of this work was to improve the barrier properties of selected papers against water, grease and oil or gases (water vapor and oxygen) by covering them with biodegradable commercial coating carriers based on cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH). The aim was also to obtain cellulose recyclable packaging materials with improved barrier characteristics. The properties of paper coatings based on CNCs and PVOH were characterized. Various paper coating techniques (flexographic printing, rotogravure printing and blade printing) were evaluated with respect to the final properties of the surface-modified paper with different starting grammages (40 g/m2, 70 g/m2, 100 g/m2). Functional properties, such as the barrier against oxygen, water vapor, water and grease; mechanical properties; and seal characterization of coated paper were examined. The results of this study demonstrated that the covering of the paper may improve the water, grease and oil barrier and that the best results were obtained for Gerstar 70 g/m2 coated with J12 coatings using the flexographic technique.

Ultra-thin parylene-aluminium hybrid coatings on nanocellulose films to resist water sensitivity

Non-sustainable single-use plastics used for food packaging needs to be phased out. Films made from cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are suitable candidates for biodegradable and recyclable packaging materials as they exhibit good mechanical properties, excellent oxygen barrier properties and high transparency. Yet, their poor water vapour barrier properties have been a major hindrance in their commercialisation. Here, we describe the preparation of 25 μm thick CNF films with significantly improved water vapour barrier properties after deposition of ultrathin polymeric and metallic coatings, parylene C and aluminium, respectively. When first adding a 40 nm aluminium layer followed by an 80 nm parylene layer, i.e. with a combined thickness of less than one percent of the CNF film, a water vapour transmission rate of 2.8 g m−2 d−1 was achieved at 38 °C and 90 % RH, surpassing a 25 μm polypropylene film (4–12 g m−2 d−1). This is an improvement of more than 700 times compared to uncoated CNF films, under some of the harshest possible conditions a packaging material will need to endure in commercial use. The layers showed a good and even coverage, as assessed by atomic force microscopy, and the parylene-coated surfaces were hydrophobic with a contact angle of 110°, providing good water repellency.

“It probably could've done with less plastic” - Consumers' cyclical and uneasy relationship with food packaging

Food packaging has an essential function in the contemporary food supply chain, but it is also a key source of municipal solid waste. The ability to package foods has changed eating habits as takeaway coffees, bottled water, and fast food have become more commonplace. Although the task of recycling packaging materials falls on the consumer who is guided to sort the waste and ensure it is taken to a recycling bin, the consumer perspectives of the mutually constitutive market device–consumer relationship are not yet well-known. This paper studies how food shoppers are constructing their relationship with packaging in their everyday lives, and especially how their moral considerations construct the relationship with sustainability and materiality of packaging. Based on the analysis of consumer interviews, the study argues that consumers' perspective on packaging use is renegotiated during their continuous relationship with packaging. Food packaging acts as a political market device that evokes morally charged consumer perspectives throughout different stages of consumption processes beyond the supermarket. In the first stage, the consumer is mainly focused on finding the products that have already become a part of their daily routine and the materiality of packaging oftentimes remains unseen. Tensions arise as packaging is both a source of frustration, and a necessary element of managing food consumption. After eating the food product, the packaging turns into waste and the consumer “becomes aware” of the packaging materials and several negative interpretations arise. Finally, packaging waste becomes morally charged: it invites consumers to partake in recycling work and evokes environmental anxieties. The results indicate that consumers often have an uneasy, cyclical relationship with packaging use.

Green packaging materials design and efficient packaging with Internet of Things

In our symbiotic society, managing waste in a sustainable manner presents a challenge. Green packaging design must follow the principles of sustainability, that is, reducing the consumption of packaging materials, refilling packaging containers, recycling and recycling packaging materials, and degrading packaging materials, but how to implement its basic ideas into conventional product design and development In order to form a practical overall pattern of the green packaging design process, it is the key to the universal acceptance and application of green packaging design. The goal of this study is to create a long-term solution for disposing of single-use food packaging waste. The Internet of Thing (IoT) technologies and alternative management techniques for throwaway food containers are the designed model for the suggested solution. The key to running cold chain logistics in a sustainable and low-carbon manner is proper optimization modeling, which also provides the required groundwork for creation of a data-driven modeling system. The final efficiency of the packaging throughout circulation is crucial for achieving constant loss minimization and efficient supply, as effective packaging is required for loss control. Therefore, it is crucial to figure out how to make use of these continually collected data and ways to develop a extra precise packing efficiency control mechanism in the cold chain for agri-products. By concentrating on the idea of data-driven assessment modeling as well as the dynamic creation mechanism of complete packaging efficiency, researchers continuously monitored the viability of this topic. The assessment of efficiency index system and approach for data-driven assessment described were evaluated using the packaging efficiency of cold chain for table grapes as an instance. The solution encourages the creation of regional socio-economic ecosystems for a circular economy.

Development and Characterization of Electrospun Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) Biopapers Containing Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles for Active Food Packaging Applications

Food quality is mainly affected by oxygen through oxidative reactions and the proliferation of microorganisms, generating changes in its taste, odor, and color. The work presented here describes the generation and further characterization of films with active oxygen scavenging properties made of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) loaded with cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) obtained by electrospinning coupled to a subsequent annealing process, which could be used as coating or interlayer in a multilayer concept for food packaging applications. The aim of this work is to explore the capacities of these novel biopolymeric composites in terms of O2 scavenging capacity, as well as antioxidant, antimicrobial, barrier, thermal, and mechanical properties. To obtain such biopapers, different ratios of CeO2NPs were incorporated into a PHBV solution with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a surfactant. The produced films were analyzed in terms of antioxidant, thermal, antioxidant, antimicrobial, optical, morphological and barrier properties, and oxygen scavenging activity. According to the results, the nanofiller showed some reduction of the thermal stability of the biopolyester but exhibited antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. In terms of passive barrier properties, the CeO2NPs decreased the permeability to water vapor but increased the limonene and oxygen permeability of the biopolymer matrix slightly. Nevertheless, the oxygen scavenging activity of the nanocomposites showed significant results and improved further by incorporating the surfactant CTAB. The PHBV nanocomposite biopapers developed in this study appear as very interesting constituents for the potential design of new active organic recyclable packaging materials.

Sustainable production and distribution practices in Atlantic Canadian short food supply chains: Explorative study

IntroductionHow food is produced, processed, distributed, and consumed significantly impacts the sustainability of food supply chains. Short food supply chains (SFSCs) have been promoted as an alternative approach to offer sustainable solutions. However, empirical studies provide mixed evidence, and the findings greatly vary based on context. This study explores the social, economic, and environmental sustainability practices in Atlantic Canada's SFSCs from the perspective of farm businesses (producers).MethodsA semi-structured survey was conducted among 64 farmers/producers who participated in Atlantic Canadian SFSCs. Participants were asked what channel they used to sell their products and how far this location is in comparison to the production location if sold to an intermediary, how they believe they could better to improve the sustainability of their production methods, what barriers stood in their way of implementation, and how supply chain supporters could help achieve their sustainability goals.ResultsThe findings show that most farm businesses linked to SFCSs have applied ecologically sound production methods such as organic farming, IPM, or other sustainable practices, including regenerative agriculture and no-till farming. Over two-thirds of farm businesses applied sustainable practices such as pasture rotations, green fertilizers, low-carbon couriers, locally sourced inputs, and compostable or recyclable packaging materials. Farm businesses in the Atlantic Provinces highly value the social sustainability of SFSCs, followed by economic and environmental sustainability. Most farm businesses linked to SFSCs were robust to supply- and demand-side shocks, registered a low number of layoffs and fast recovery of operations, and increased their profits during COVID-19 compared to pre-COVID-19 levels. Yet, several barriers remain, the most important ones being high capital costs and longer payback periods. Other barriers include inconsistent inter-provincial trading restrictions, lack of qualified workers and shrinking agricultural land base.DiscussionSFSCs in Atlantic Canadian SFSCs have implemented several sustainable practices in their production and distribution systems. Most of the farm businesses linked to SFSCs are small, are focused on specific product groups, target small towns or rural areas, and rely on direct-on farm sales to individual customers, and thus can play a crucial role by complementing longer food supply chains. By taking SFSCs in Atlantic Provinces as a case, this study expands our understanding of recent efforts and challenges local producers face to adopt sustainable practices in their production and distribution systems.

Constitutive model and experimental study of molded pulp material

Molded pulp products can improve the utilization of recycled paper by achieving close to zero waste emission and a 100% recycling rate, while satisfying the national goals for recycled packaging materials of various countries. Molded pulp products are often designed using finite-element simulations to optimize their performance, which requires the input of accurate material properties. However, studies on the constitutive model, an essential factor related to material properties, are still rare. This study investigated the mechanical behavior of the molded pulp material to simplify the parameters and improve the accuracy of the constitutive model. The fiber distribution and connection within the molded pulp material were investigated; treating the pores of the molded pulp as a virtual material enhances the meso-mechanical model and gives a transversely isotropic constitutive model. The elastic modulus in the thickness direction was calculated as 1.5997 MPa, and the experimentally measured value is 1.5368 MPa. The error of proposed model is 4.1%, but significantly smaller than treating molded pulp as an isotropic material, the error of which is ~80 times larger of experimental result.

Utilization of polymer packaging materials as a basis of environmental safety: biodegradable and edible materials

The introduction presents an analysis of waste disposal methods used in different countries, which indicates certain difficulties in the disposal of polymer waste due to their greatest environmental danger, since synthetic polymers decompose for a long time in natural conditions. Today, high requirements for environmental protection dictate the emergence of new types of processing of polymer waste through their self-destruction. An actual direction in the packaging industry is the production of environmentally friendly self-destructible packaging: biodegradable and edible. The basis for the production of such packages is raw materials of animal and vegetable origin. The purpose of the work is to substantiate the advantages of self-destructible packaging as an environmentally friendly material that does not harm the environment. The main part of the article provides information about the advantages of biodegradable and edible packaging materials. The advantage of biodegradable packaging is its ability to degrade into natural components that do not require separate collection, sorting, recycling or other disposal solutions. The disposal costs of such packaging are minimal, since the waste is decomposed under the influence of natural factors: water, various types of radiation or microorganisms. Edible packaging is the only type of biodegradable plastic packaging that does not require individual collection and special disposal conditions. Such packages have a high sorption capacity, which allows them to have a positive physiological effect on the human body, enriching food with minerals, vitamins, complexes of microelements, bioflavonoids, regulating the taste and aroma properties of the packaged food product and simplifying the nutrition process. In the conclusion, it is noted that the solution to the problems of recycling packaging materials indicates a global trend in the field of creating self-destructible materials – biodegradable and edible, the prospects of which are aimed at preserving the environment.

Environmental life cycle impact assessment of fresh California strawberries: A full supply chain perspective

A cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) study was conducted for an open-field strawberry (strb) produced in California. The evaluation covered the full supply chain of strawberry, which also included the impacts of food waste generated at each phase of the life cycle. The supply chain included farming, retail, consumption, and end-of-life treatments of waste generated. Data on strawberry farming (included cultivation, harvest and packaging) were collected from the selected farms, with an average strawberry acreage of 138 acres. The defined functional unit (FU) was 1 kg-strb, consumed at the consumer stage, including food waste. Life cycle inventory (LCI) data for post-farm (retail and consumer stage) were based on the available literature and engineering estimates. The ReCiPe 2016 method was used to calculate the potential environmental impacts. The total GHG emissions calculated per FU was 1.45 kg CO 2eq ; freshwater eutrophication potential was 4.43*10 −4 kg P eq /FU, fossil resource scarcity was 0.46 kg oil eq /FU. Transportation contributed to about 32% of the total GHG emissions, the use of all forms of plastics (including packaging PET, labels, and field plastics) contributed 18% of the total GHG emissions, while their treatments contributed ∼1% (including the credits from the related recycling process). The use of corrugated boxes contributed 15% of the GHG emissions, while end-of-life treatment provided credits by –7% of the total impact. Food waste treatment contributed ∼15% to the total GHG emissions. For fossil resource scarcity, cultivation along with packaging contributed 71% of the total impact, followed by retail and consumer (25% and 11%, respectively), which was mainly due to transportation. Results showed that the use of recycled packaging materials and the adoption of a suitable recycling process are effective strategies to lower the environmental impacts. The study also showed that with changes in crop yields by ±10%, as compared to the reported yields, most of the selected environmental impacts could change by ± 3–4%, while water consumption would vary by −9% (with +10% yield increase) and increase by 11% (with −10% yield). Reducing food waste by 10% could lower the total GHG emissions by around 1%. • Cradle-to-grave environmental performance of open-field strawberry analyzed. • Farm based life cycle inventory utilized the data collected from California-based farms. • Environmental impacts and hotspot evaluations are discussed for the supply chain. • Packaging and transportation were the top contributors to the supply chain impacts.

Synergistic reinforced superhydrophobic paper with green, durability, and antifouling function

Among the various paper-based technologies that exist today, superhydrophobic paper has attracted considerable attention owing to its incredible repellency and antifouling behavior against both water and oil based liquids. However, its practical applications are limited due to its poor durability and the use of fluorochemicals during the preparation process, which are harmful to both humans and environment. Herein, we developed a synergistic reinforced superhydrophobic paper (SRSP) using green-based waxes as an adhesive for grafting hydrophobic nanoparticles, thereby reducing safety and environmental concerns as well as improving durability. The resulting paper exhibits strong durability to sandpaper abrasion, finger-wipe, knife-scratch, tape-peeling, bending, folding, and sustained exposure to corrosion media. Additionally, not only does the SRSP surface directly prevented adhesion of water-based contaminants (e.g., muddy water, coca cola, or milk), but also indirectly repelled solid contaminants (e.g., hydrophilic or hydrophobic particles) upon washing with water, thereby demonstrating highly efficient antifouling ability. Intriguingly, the silicone oil-infused SRSP surface could easily repelled low-surface-energy droplets such as hot water, oil, or fouled oil. It is envisioned that the SRSP developed in this study can find potential applications in microfluidics, recyclable packaging materials, paper-based flexible electronics, and new sophisticated membrane-type materials.

Razgradivi ambalažni materijali - izvori, primena i načini razgradnje

There are many biodegradable and recyclable packaging materials available, alternatives for plastics: paper and cardboard; biodegradable polyethene (degradable due to additives incorporated during production, whose role is to lead to the polyethylene breakdown into CO2, H2O, biomass and minerals when in landfill) and biodegradable plastic (made from renewable biomass-biopolymers in a relatively energy-efficient process). The decomposition routes of degradable materials are reflected in the degradation for which realization a physico-chemical stimulus is required and biodegradation for which microorganisms are responsible. The global biodegradable plastic market was valued at $1.6 billion in 2019 and it is expected to reach $4.2 billion by 2027. The largest segment by application of biodegradable materials is in packaging with a market share of more than 60%. Some examples of degradable packaging existing on the market will be presented in the paper.

Green-Lean Operations Evaluation Framework: A case from Iranian Automotive Industry

Companies have been forced to find alternatives to balance productivity and the environment in their operations and products as they move to greener operations and products. The result of this action is the balancing of continuous or simultaneous exploration using pure and green designs. The purpose of this paper is to identify green-lean evaluation model in Automotive Industry. In this study, important criteria of green lean production system were identified from studies conducted in this field. The effects of the proposed criteria and their relationships are examined using a questionnaire. Furthermore, the Best-Worst Method (BWM) has been used for ranking a weight matrix. Also, the causal relationships among each criterion and sub-criteria are obtained by utilizing the Decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) technique . The results showed that the use of environmental-friendly and recyclable packaging materials and the increase in the useful life of packaged materials ranked as top two in the Green-Lean in this realm. In operational management, the green lean techniques will be implemented to reduce both waste and pollution. Also, this strategy allows the company to enhance its operational and environmental efficiency.

Heuristic column generation for designing an express circular packaging distribution network

Express packaging is consuming a huge amount of materials every year, which pollutes the environment and wastes resources as well. One of solutions is to build an express distribution network for circular packaging to recycle packaging materials. We present a forward and backward network that enables collection depots transport express packages to distribution centers where the wasted packaging materials are collected by recycle bins and sent back to the collection depots. Therefore, the recyclable packaging materials are detected in the collection depots, then the reusable materials are sent to the distribution centers and the others are transported back to material factories for recycling production. A mathematical model as well as a heuristic algorithm is built, based on Lagrangian relaxation and column generation, to optimize the circular packaging network. A case study has been led to test the proposed approach. The experiment results show that our solution can reduce total cost remarkably.

Высокопрочное вяжущее на основе жидкого стекла для бесцементного полистиролбетона

This research set out to obtain a high-strength binder based on low-energy liquid glass using silica fume produced in the Bratsk Ferroalloy Plant. The starting materials used for the development of polystyrene concrete were liquid glass obtained from silica fume using sol-gel technology, fly ash, screening from diabase crushing, ground channel quartz sand and foamed polystyrene granules. Math-ematical processing of the results was performed using the Statistica 10 software package in the mod-ule of planned experiment. According to the conducted analysis, the resulting material corresponds to the strength characteristics of concrete classes B1–B3 with an average density of 400–600 kg/m3. In comparison with polystyrene concrete based on cement, foamed polystyrene concrete based on the developed complex binder has half the shrinkage strain. This can be explained by the reduced water-absorbing capacity and hydraulic activity of the hardened binder, which ensures the stability of the block sizes during long-term operation. The results of determining the thermal conductivity show the effec-tiveness of polystyrene concrete as a heat insulator. Based on the optimized composition of the binder die, filled light concretes were obtained using foamed polystyrene boulder from recycled packaging ma-terials. Effective heat-insulating and heat-insulating structural concretes of D400–D600 density grades characterized byan increased stability of geometric dimensions were obtained.

Considering JIT in Assigning Task for Return Vehicle in Green Supply Chain

The purpose of this study was to achieve supply chain sustainability by considering Just in Time (JIT) in return vehicle usage. In response to a general increase in modern environmental awareness, consumer and government attention towards product and service compliance with environmental protection standards has increased. Consequently, manufacturers and stakeholders are pressured to use eco-friendly supply chains. In this paper, we analyzed the JIT model, a transportation network that ensure agile responses and delivery of goods in a supply chain, which reduces inventory costs. We then compared two return vehicle transportation scenarios. In the first, goods were transported from the central warehouse to the distribution base, and the return vehicle delivered recyclable packaging materials back to the central distribution warehouse. In the second scenario, goods were transported from the manufacturer to the distribution center (warehouse) more frequently, leading to reduced inventory. We then utilized the aforementioned JIT system with ILOG CPLEX12.4 to ascertain which scenario would produce the lowest carbon emissions for the lowest total cost.

Eco-friendly Retail Product Attributes, Customer Attributes and the Repurchase Intentions of South African Consumers

Purpose –Consumers are becoming progressively aware of the significance of eco-friendly activities, and their environmental consciousness drives them to consume eco-friendly products and services more, and prefer to support organisations that favor conservational practices. Increased environmental impacts bring a rise in concerns locally and globally, on sustainability issues aimed at reducing non-conservative consumption patterns. Retail organisations are increasingly developing and marketing eco-friendly retail products to promote sustainable, eco-friendly consumption patterns. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships between eco-friendly retail product attributes and South African consumers’ eco-friendly product repurchase intentions.Design/methodology/approach – A survey approach was employed involving 241 consumers in Southern Gauteng. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation analysis were conducted respectively to test the reliability and validity of the scales as well as the proposed hypotheses.Research findings– Retail product consumers’ response to the attributes of eco-friendly products is still important in predicting their eco-friendly product repurchase intentions. South African consumers’ eco-friendly attributes moderate their environmental sensitivity, hence their repurchase intentions.Practical implications – It is not enough to retailers and wholesalers to promote sustainable and recyclable packaging materials. They must also improve eco-friendly product-related attributes to satisfy consumer needs better, and should be cautious in the direct and moderating effect of eco-friendly customer-related attributes in devising marketing plans to promote eco-friendly products.Originality/value – The paper contributes to research by advancing understanding of how consumers make their repurchase intentions of eco-friendly retail products, providing retailers with managerial insights. The paper also presents limitations and directions for future research.

Environmental implications of food loss probability in packaging design

In this paper, a new perspective of food packaging design is proposed by using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach, in which shelf life and food loss probability were taken into account. The study focused on twenty-four scenarios of packaging of a ripened cheese obtained from sheep milk, in order to analyze the environmental implications of different packaging systems in terms of potential food loss. The aim is to provide an eco-indicator able to quantify the environmental indirect effects related to the different choices in the food packaging. Results highlighted that, by considering only the direct inputs and outputs of the packaging system, thinner and recyclable packaging materials sealed in air are more sustainable from an environmental point of view. On the contrary, if indirect effects of food loss probability are also taken into account (e.g. production and transport of cheese in order to reconstruct the stockpile), multilayer systems under modified headspace conditions are preferred packaging solutions. This is consequence of the fact that cheese production brings about high environmental impacts if compared to the other phases of the life cycle, therefore, the environmental implications of the choices adopted for the packaging phase are more affected from the capacity of reducing food losses than from the production and disposing of packaging materials.