Glass Isn’t Always Greener: Rethinking Sustainable Packaging Design
Over the past decade, society has been switching to glass bottles to avoid microplastics, but recent research reveals that this swap comes with a significant environmental cost.
According to France’s ANSES, the debate between glass and plastic bottles is misguided, and true sustainability depends on how we approach packaging design.
Sustainability needs to move beyond emotional reactions and virtue signalling.
A critical misconception exists between sustainability and recyclability, as glass is highly recyclable but has a massive carbon footprint due to production and transportation.
Author's summary: Rethinking packaging design is key to true sustainability.