Packaging and Label Design Sustainable Packaging Design 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is 'design for disassembly' in packaging?
- Designing packaging so components can be easily separated for recycling (Correct answer)
- Designing packaging that falls apart on store shelves
- Creating packaging with removable labels only
- Designing packaging with multiple compartments
Correct answer: Designing packaging so components can be easily separated for recycling
Design for disassembly ensures that different materials in a package can be separated and recycled individually.
Question 2: Which US labeling claim requires the most substantiation under FTC Green Guides?
- 'Recyclable' claims (Correct answer)
- 'Natural' claims
- 'Organic' claims
- 'Fresh' claims
Correct answer: 'Recyclable' claims
The FTC Green Guides require that 'recyclable' claims be substantiated by access to recycling facilities for a substantial majority of consumers.
Question 3: What is a life cycle assessment (LCA) used for in packaging design?
- Evaluating the total environmental impact of a package from production to disposal (Correct answer)
- Measuring the shelf life of packaged products
- Assessing the durability of packaging materials
- Calculating the cost of packaging production
Correct answer: Evaluating the total environmental impact of a package from production to disposal
An LCA quantifies environmental impacts across a product's full life cycle including raw material extraction, manufacturing, use, and end of life.
Question 4: Which packaging format has the lowest carbon footprint per unit for shipping liquids?
- Flexible pouches (Correct answer)
- Glass bottles
- Aluminum cans
- Rigid plastic jugs
Correct answer: Flexible pouches
Flexible pouches use significantly less material and occupy less space, reducing both material and transportation emissions.
Question 5: What does 'extended producer responsibility' (EPR) require of packaging companies in the US?
- Manufacturers are financially responsible for end-of-life management of their packaging (Correct answer)
- Producers must use only domestic materials
- Companies must print recycling instructions on all packages
- Brands must collect packaging from consumers directly
Correct answer: Manufacturers are financially responsible for end-of-life management of their packaging
EPR policies shift the financial and operational responsibility for packaging waste from municipalities to the producers who create it.
Question 6: Which biobased material is commonly used as an alternative to conventional plastic in flexible packaging?
- PLA (Polylactic Acid) (Correct answer)
- HDPE
- LDPE
- ABS
Correct answer: PLA (Polylactic Acid)
PLA is derived from renewable plant starches like corn and is used in compostable flexible packaging applications.
Packaging and Label Design Sustainable Packaging Design 2
What is 'design for disassembly' in packaging?