Previously, the packaging for the C35 and C95 luminaires included bubble wrap and Styrofoam – it was a temporary and not exactly environmentally friendly solution. A change was needed in order to reduce the impact from the use of those materials and packaging, as well as to maximise recycling.
Polystyrene breaks down incredibly slowly, so there is no way for it to qualify as a biodegradable solution. In fact, most of the polystyrene that ends up in landfills will still be there 500 years from now. Another problem is that Styrofoam can’t be stored in warehouses for fire safety reasons. All this makes cardboard a much better solution both in terms of storage and biodegradability.
The only downside to using cardboard was that it weighs more than the previously used materials, which impacts transport costs and fuel consumption, and ultimately – CO2 emissions. However, with the new packaging method, we can deliver more luminaires per load, which means that we can reduce the number of deliveries, and ultimately reduce the CO2 emissions through that. The advantage with cardboard is that it is made of 100% cellulose fibres and can easily be recycled. Through its use, we are able to avoid delivering 3.2* tonnes of plastic to our customers during just one year. This change means that our customers receive just one type of packaging material, which simplifies sorting. Consequently, CO2 emissions on packaging material are reduced by 21%. This requires no major changes in the assembly of our packaging and the cardboard can be stored in warehouses like any other component.
*based on calculations made with budgeted sales for 2023
Glamox strives to continue to fulfil ambitious sustainability targets. The next step in this direction will include reviewing the packaging of other products and replacing it with recyclable and more environmentally sound alternatives.