The company revealed its support for the standards as part of its recent 2009 DuPont Packaging Awards event.

“The biggest reason [for such standards] is to try to change the mind-set of industry and consumers,” stated William Weber, vice president and general manager of DuPont Packaging and Industrial polymers.

“[We need] common standards that are simple enough for consumers to make buying decisions,” Weber said in a telephone interview prior to a virtual conference announcing the packaging winners.

“We see some conflict among regulators, the public and companies,” said Julian Carroll, managing director of the European Organization for Packaging and the Environment.

“How do we measure which packaging is better?” Carroll asked at the virtual conference. “How can companies assure themselves they are on the right track to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging?”

A chief executive officer forum is being organized with the help of Europe to come up with harmonized principles and common definitions. In the long term, 150 chief executive officers will be asked to put together global standards based on common definitions.

Carroll said lack of common standards can cause problems in the marketplace. For instance, one retail store could choose packaging it feels is most sustainable. Another store could have different ideas, presenting a problem for a packaging supplier that must somehow satisfy both.

As well, there is the risk of unilateral action by regulators in one area that might not be compatible with laws in another jurisdiction.

DuPont brought the sustainability issue to its business strategy 10 years ago, according to Weber. Now the firm has a vice president in charge of sustainability, Linda Fisher. Weber is responsible for sustainability in performance resins.

DuPont identifies four strategies for sustainability in packaging.

• First is using renewable resources.
  
• Next is improving end-of-life alternatives through additives and other means for composting, recycling and waste-to-energy methods.
  
• Material reduction represents the highest growth opportunity. While maintaining the integrity of the package, producers can use less or make the package simpler. Weber cited as an example replacing PVC with Surlyn ionomer to make thinner blister packaging.
  
• Finally, general environmental impact also relates to sustainability. Reducing energy use or greenhouse gases or solvent emissions all have beneficial effects, Weber said.
  

Sustainability issues were prominent among the winners of DuPont’s 2009 awards. Following are plastics-related winners.