TRACFONE PCR PACKAGING

SPA is the foundation of Plastic Ingenuity’s sustainability services. This three-step process starts by identifying the customer’s sustainability goals and assessing current packaging systems. For TracFone, we reviewed the sustainability targets of both its parent company and the major retailer where the product is sold. The key priorities were clear: design for recyclability and maximize recycled content.

Next, we conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) comparing the environmental impact of various packaging formats. TracFone’s legacy packaging served as a baseline and was assessed against the proposed molded fiber design and two new thermoformed concepts. Plastic Ingenuity’s design engineers developed packaging trays using 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) PET at two different material weights. In addition to maximizing recycled content, our designers followed the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) Design® Guide guidance for PET packaging to ensure these concepts would be set up for success with end-of-life collection, sortation, and reprocessing.

Analyzing factors such as global warming potential (GWP) and water consumption, the LCA revealed that while the molded fiber prototype had a much lower carbon footprint than TracFone’s legacy paper-plastic hybrid, it was nearly identical to Plastic Ingenuity’s PCR PET (0.024″) option. However, PI’s downgauged, lighter-weight PCR (0.020″) design delivered the lowest overall impact. Water usage proved to be a critical factor. While the molded fiber manufacturing process is water-intensive, PCR thermoform packaging requires minimal water to produce. The environmental benefits were undeniable.