The European Paper Packaging Alliance has engaged in a public database program by publishing a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) related to the production of three specific paper grades and their converting into nine representative single-use paper tableware utilised in Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs).
EPPA Public Database Program
EPPA promotes a science-based approach in assessing packaging environmental performance: this requires that up-to-date data are made publicly available for LCA practitioners.
To further this goal, EPPA has commissioned a comprehensive Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) conducted by the reputable technical consultancy, Ramboll. This dataset delves into the production of three specific paper grades and their conversion into single-use tableware commonly used in Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs).
Importantly, EPPA has partnered with its members and their suppliers to ensure the utmost accuracy and reliability of the collected data.
This long term collaborative effort has led to providing primary LCI data for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies. LCA practitioners can confidently use this most up-to-date data to accurately assess the environmental impacts associated with paper packaging, explore potential improvement areas, and ultimately make informed decisions about sustainable representative packaging choices.
This LCI report offers a detailed examination of the following paper grades and their corresponding representative tableware products:
- Converted virgin fiber bleached food service board, coated: Production and conversion into hot and cold drink cups, lids, ice cream cups, and salad boxes.
- Converted partially recycled food service board: Production and conversion into clamshells and fry boxes.
- Converted oil-resistant bleached food service paper with barrier: Production and conversion into burger wraps and fry bags.
The report documents all stages of the material production and converting phases, encompassing raw material extraction, transportation, processing, and waste management. This gate-to-gate approach provides a holistic understanding of the environmental implications of these paper packaging products.
To ensure the integrity and credibility of this LCI study, it has undergone a rigorous external quality assurance process by a senior LCA expert from the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE).
Additionally, an independent third-party review was conducted by a senior LCA practitioner at ifeu – Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg gGmbH (Germany) who confirms that “the Life Cycle Inventory report – Single-use paper-based tableware for quick service restaurants – is considered to deliver comprehensive and robust LCI data for application in ISO compliant life cycle assessment studies. All data have been collected as primary data to a very high detail. The report is transparently written, the data quality of the LCI data is very high and the data are considered easy to apply even for less experienced practitioners. »