ECODESIGN 2020

Ecodesign 2020: ITAL G.E.T.E. boxes up sustainability

The ongoing pursuit of new ways to reduce environmental impact has been rewarded once again. In the seventh edition of the “CONAI Contest for the Ecodesign of packaging in the circular economy – Promoting the environmental sustainability of packaging“,

ITAL G.E.T.E. has confirmed its position as the “greenest” of Italian manufacturers of aerosol spray paints.

 “Business models of the future must include prevention if they are to be sustainable”, says CONAI President Luca Ruini. “The greater part of the impact packaging will have on the environment is defined in its design phase… green innovation increases the value of packs in reducing their effects on the ecosystem. It is a philosophy and a way of operating that over the years will prove to be more and more rewarding and ever more widespread”.

Competing for prizes and awards was a total of 289 cases with 160 admitted for their innovative value. A technical jury made up of experts from Milan Polytechnic, Turin Polytechnic and the IUAV University of Venice, Legambiente, Altroconsumo and PackMedia, evaluated the sustainability of the submissions with the help of the CONAI EcoTool, a simplified Life Cycle Assessment tool for weighing up the benefits produced by the interventions.

The analysis was carried out through a before/after comparison of sustainability indicators such as GWP (global warming potential), GER (gross energy requirement) and “blue water” (a component of the water footprint indicator).

ITAL G.E.T.E. is ranked among the top 90 packaging manufacturers and users, who have redesigned their packaging to fall in with eco-sustainable criteria. Fundamental for the assessment is respect for the following parameters: reuse, facilitation of recycling activities, use of materials from recycling, saving of raw materials, optimisation of logistics, simplification of the packaging system and optimisation of production processes.

“We are particularly proud of this award, which bears witness to our ongoing commitment to increasingly sustainable development. We are, in fact, among the aerosol spray paint manufacturers most focused on environmental protection”, Giulia Lombardi CEO of ITAL G.E.T.E., declared. “We have worked on the progressive reduction in packages, starting with their weight, which has a particularly significant impact on determining the carbon footprint of packaging processes. We are convinced that responsible action starts from the protection of people and environmental resources, which are limited”.

Validated also by the outside certification body DNV GL, ITAL G.E.T.E. obtained the award specifically for weight reduction in packaging, which led to a saving of about 11 tonnes of cardboard packaging in 2019.

The new wrap-around box for packing spray paint cans, designed as part of a virtuous project aimed not only at cutting paper consumption but also at optimising aerosol spray paint production processes, has enabled the company to save energy and reduce CO² emissions.

According to calculations by PRO CARTON, the European Association of Carton and Cartonboard manufacturers, every tonne of packaging has a carbon footprint of around 885 kg of CO².

By virtue of the choices made by ITAL G.E.T.E., therefore, this has led to a reduction in the carbon footprint of about 9735 kg of CO² in a year.

Overall, the cases presented to and judged by the CONAI (National Packaging Consortium) Committee, have shown they have achieved a real reduction in the environmental impact of their packaging, with a 21% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, an 18% reduction in energy consumption and a 19% water saving.