J. Pac .Sci. Tech.

Vol.18No.4（2009）

一般論文〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜

Establishment of Sustainability Indicator for
Cushioning Packaging
Lijiang HUO*, Katsuhiko SAITO** and Yukiomi NAKAGAWA***An integrated approach to sustainability assessment for cushioning packaging based on Life Cycle
Assessment (LCA) has been developed to meet challenges within the context of packaging. The approach measures
the performance of the cushioning packaging with regard to social, economic and environmental aspects andproduces quantitative results as a monetary unit, and integrates the results into a sustainability indicator (SI) for
directly indicating the overall benefits of the cushioning packaging. Two types of cushioning packaging made frommolded pulp and corrugated board respectively for packaging a gas appliance were assessed in this study as a casestudy demonstration. The results show that the main environmental impacts of the two cushioning packaging areglobal warming and acidification caused by the atmospheric emissions during production processes for thecushioning packaging materials and products. The molded pulp material with associated advanced component
structure was found to be the scheme in the two cushioning packaging designs for achieving sustainability although it
has somewhat higher physical costs than that of the corrugated board cushioning. The optimum for the two cases isindentified by calculating the newly developed SI.
Keywords： sustainability indicator; cushioning packaging; LCA; molded pulp; corrugated board

1. Introduction
The molded pulp material and corrugated boards which are made from waste paper, arerecognized for their potential to replace plastic cushioning packaging based on fossil fuels and therefore
contribute to the conservation of natural resources.1-4) Researchers have concentrated on innovation intechnical performance of the cushioning packaging using the paper materials.4-7) However, the cushioning
packaging in practice is affected by a number of impact factors, involving social, economic andenvironmental aspects, simultaneously. Multiple metrics and indicators must be employed to ascertain theconsequences and trade-offs implicit in technology adoptions for implementing sustainability.8) On thisview, we established the SI approach to quantitatively measure the various performance and the overall
benefits of the cushioning packaging for identifying potential improvements and implementing
sustainability in the domain of packaging industry.
* School of Textile and Light Industry, Dalian Polytechnic University, Dalian 116034, China.
Tel: +86 (0)411 86324879; Fax: +86 (0)411 86323438; Email: huolijiang@gmail.com** Graduate School of Maritime Sciences, Kobe University.
*** Aichi Industrial Technology Institute.

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Establishment of Sustainability Indicator for Cushioning Packaging

2. Methodological approach
Based on LCA thinking, the cushioning packaging has its own life cycle including raw materials
acquisition, cushioning material manufacture, cushioning packaging manufacture, packaging/contained
contents distribution and cushioning packaging disposal.9) According to the concept of the life cycle, thebasic input-output logic regarding the cushioning packaging itself can be set up and diagramed in Fig.1.

From manufacture stage

To distribution stage

Total inputs:

Total outputs:▪ Material inputs

Cushioning▪ Positive outputs

Physical consumptions.

packaging

Creating value for society.

▪ Immaterial inputs▪ Negative outputs

Intangible consumptions.

Damaging environment.

Fig. 1 Basic input-output logic of cushioning packaging
The total inputs within the input-output flows involve material inputs (e.g. materials, natural
resources, energy.) and immaterial inputs (e.g. techniques, human resources.). The total inputs arequantified by means of a technical and economical analysis of the cushioning packaging production. The
material inputs are physical usage in the processes of the cushioning packaging production. The amountof the physical usage can be measured according to the first law of thermodynamics (the law of theconservation of mass). By definition the material inputs must equal to the outputs plus net accumulationof materials in the system. The measurement outcomes are subsequently converted into a monetary unit.
The immaterial inputs are regarded as intangible consumptions but represent a cost to the production of
the cushioning packaging. The total inputs are presented by the direct costs of consumed inputs (DCC).
The DCC is expressed as Equation (1).

DCC ＝ C materials + C resource + C energy + C other(1)

where C materials represents costs of materials needed during the cushioning packaging production;
C resourcer represents costs of consumed natural resource during the cushioning packaging
production;
C energy represents costs of consumed energy during the cushioning packaging production;
C other represents costs of equipment depreciation, maintenance, salary and taxes related to thecushioning packaging production.

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Vol.18No.4（2009）

The total outputs within the input-output flows are considered as positive outputs (creating value
added for society) and negative outputs (resulting in environmental damage). The value added (VA)
produced by the positive outputs is presented by economic gains of the cushioning packaging related tomarket and expressed as Equation (2).

VA ＝(SV contained contents − C contained contents ) ×

Ccushioning packaging
Ccontained contents(2)

where SV contained contents represents sale value of contained contents using the cushioning packaging;
C contained contents represents costs of contained contents using the cushioning packaging;C cushioning packaging represents costs of the cushioning packaging.
The C cushioning packaging equals to the DCC if manufacturers who make the contained contents
produce the cushioning packaging by themselves. Otherwise, the C cushioning packaging equals to the DCC
plus the profits of the cushioning packaging production. The VA is created by technical functions of thecushioning packaging within the framework of related social laws and regulations. It represents social
responsibility undertaken by the cushioning packaging. The negative outputs resulting in environmental
damage are considered to be hidden costs of consumed inputs (HCC). The HCC can be calculated by the
LCA methodology. In this study, life-cycle impact assessment method based on endpoint modeling(LIME) 10) is mainly adopted and Eo-indicator’ 95 model 10) is also used for validating the results.
The social, economical and environmental aspects of the cushioning packaging are integrated
into the SI based on an efficiency ratio, which is expressed through a formula of more-is-better elements
as opposed to less-is-better elements.11) The SI is expressed as Equation (3) and Equation (4). The bigger
the SI, the better the overall benefits the cushioning packaging.

SI ＝

f ( Positive outputs )f ( Inputs, Negative outputs )

(3)

SI ＝

f (VA)f ( DCC , HCC )(4)

3. Case studies
Conventionally comparing to the corrugated board cushioning packaging, the molded pulp
cushioning packaging has not been extensively used in paper cushioning category due to high cost andsome technical problems. 1-2) However, a new molded pulp cushioning design associated with new type ofmold tool have been developed.2) 4) For further identifying potential improvements in the paper
cushioning packaging, we carried out the overall evaluation on the basis of the new molded pulp
cushioning packaging design and corrugated board cushioning packaging design in this study.

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Establishment of Sustainability Indicator for Cushioning Packaging

Two cushioning packaging designs for packaging a gas appliance (570×440×150 mm, 10kg)
were assessed in this study. They are nominated as 1st and 2nd cushioning packaging hereafter. Both ofthem are able to standardize the cushioning design by some structure factors. The two evaluated targets
show technical variations as follows:(a) Molded pulp cushioning packaging(b) New mold toolFig. 2 1st cushioning packaging

Simulative gas appliance

Corrugated board cushioning

Fig. 3 2nd cushioning packaging− 262 −

J. Pac .Sci. Tech.

Vol.18No.4（2009）▪ The 1st cushioning packaging is molded pulp product made from used cardboard and newspaper(6:4 mixing ratio by weight) and adopt the new structure design with components, 4) as shown in Fig. 2(a). The new structure of the molded pulp cushioning packaging is formed by the new mold tool, 4) asshown in Fig.2 (b). The new mold tool is made from aluminum alloy. The weight of the 1st cushioning
packaging itself and its mold tool are approx 1.0 kg and 20 kg respectively.
▪ The 2nd cushioning packaging is corrugated board (K180/SCP160/K180, B/F) product madefrom used paper. Its structure is able to fit the shape of the gas appliance, as shown in Fig.3. The
corrugated board is processed by die-cutting machine and is then folded along the pressed marks. The
weight of the 2nd cushioning packaging is approx 1.5 kg.

3.1 Functional unit and system boundary

Waste paper

Collecting raw materials

Producing pulp

Additional agents

Solid wastes

Water
Aluminum alloy

Mold
tool
pulp

Molding process

White water
Emissions to air

Drying process

Vapor

Electricity
Refining process

Vapor

Molded pulp cushioning

Packaging/contained contents distribution

System boundary
Molded pulp cushioning packaging disposal

Fig. 4 System boundary of molded pulp cushioning packaging based on life cycle− 263 −

Establishment of Sustainability Indicator for Cushioning Packaging

For this study, the functional unit (FU) was defined as a set of cushioning package for the gas
appliance ready for dispatch. The system boundary on basis of the life cycle commenced with collecting
the raw materials and ended with ready cushioning packaging/contained contents for distribution. The
study did not include transportation of raw materials, product and distribution, nor the disposal of thecushioning packaging. The system boundaries with indication of the inputs and outputs of the molded
pulp cushioning packaging and the corrugated board cushioning packaging were presented in Fig.4 andFig.5 respectively.

Waste paper

Water
Electricity

Collecting raw materials

Making corrugated boards

Emissions to air

Splitting process
Emissions to water
Making pressure markDie-cutting process

Solid wastes

Corrugated board cushioning packaging

Packaging/contained contents distribution

System boundary
Corrugated board cushioning packaging disposal

Fig. 5 System boundary of corrugated boards cushioning packaging based on life cycle− 264 −

J. Pac .Sci. Tech.

Vol.18No.4（2009）

3.2 Input-output analysis
Data collection worked on the premise that the technical indicators of the two cushioning
packaging meet requirements of users well. By means of investigative and calculative actions, theinput-output flows of the two evaluation targets within the system boundaries were quantified based on
the FU, and related life cycle inventories (LCI) were created. The LCI of the input-output flows for theevaluation targets in a monetary unit was shown in Table 1.

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Establishment of Sustainability Indicator for Cushioning Packaging

JEMAI-LCA Pro with associated databases, which is developed in accordance with the LIME
model was used in the LCA. The LCI of emissions to environment of the two evaluation targets based on
the FU and subsequent characterization result were shown in Table 2 and Table 3.
As some in-house data was not available, we applied comparable average data assuming a similar
situation exists between the two evaluated targets in this study.

The environmental impacts of the two cushioning packaging were further assessed by the LIME
model and Eco-indicator’95 model respectively, and the related results of integrated environmental

M

bo
ar
d
C
or
ru
ga
te
d

de
d

pu
lp

0.045
0.04
0.035
0.03
0.025
0.02
0.015
0.01
0.005
0

ol

Integrated environmental impact(Point)

bo
ar
d
C
or
ru
ga
te
d

ol

de
d

pu

lp

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

M

Integrated environmental impact(JPY)

impact were presented in Fig.6 (a) and (b), respectively.

Cushioning packaging

Cushioning packaging(a) By LIME(b) By Eco-indicator’95

Fig. 6 Results of integrated environmental impact by LIME and Eco-indicator’95− 266 −

J. Pac .Sci. Tech.

Vol.18No.4（2009）

3.3 Results and discussion
Through calculation, the HCC of the two evaluation targets based on the FU were 3.32 and13.4 JPY respectively, as shown in Fig.7 (a). The SI of the two evaluation targets were 3.34 and 3.09 in
the order given, as shown in Fig.7 (b).
4
3.5

100

3

80

2.5

DCC

60

HCC

SI

2
1.5

40

1

20

0.5

lp
de
d

pu

bo
ar
d

lp

M
ol

C
or
ru
ga
te
d

pu
de
d
ol
M

bo
ar
d

0

0

C
or
ru
ga
te
d

DCC and HCC (JPY)120

Cushioning packaging

Cushioning packaging(a) DCC and HCC(b) SI

Fig.7 DCC, HCC and SI results of the assessment
The results of the input-output analysis show that, main environmental burdens of the two
cushioning packaging are led to by the atmospheric emissions. They mainly result in global warming andacidification. According to the results assessed by the LIME model, the integrated environmental impact
generated by the 2nd cushioning packaging is more than four times of that of the 1st cushioning packaging
because of more solid waste and emissions to air during the production processes. The result produced by
Eco-indicator’95 model also demonstrates the same situation.
The final results of the assessment show that the 1st cushioning packaging has advantage inoverall benefits over the 2nd cushioning packaging due to the less HCC, although the 1st cushioning
packaging has more DCC than that of the 2nd cushioning packaging because of the mold tool involved.
The findings indicate that the molded pulp material with associated the component structure design
should be the first option for achieving sustainability in the development of the gas appliance cushioning
package. However, as the case study results rely partly on assumptions in the data, in-house data should
be applied for more accurate results.

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Establishment of Sustainability Indicator for Cushioning Packaging

4. Conclusions
The SI integrating social and economic concern into LIME-based LCA, was utilized to assess thecushioning packaging. The input-output flows representing the performance of the cushioning packaging
in social, economic and environmental perspective were indentified and quantified in a monetary unit.
The newly developed SI was used to indicate overall benefits of the cushioning packaging so that the final
results are direct and transparent to practitioners. The proposed SI approach can be used to assist in
identifying potential improvements and enhancing the sustainability of the cushioning packaging.

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Japan Society for the Promotion of Science for financing thisresearch (CSC-10608). We also thank referees for their invaluable comments on the paper.

References
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4) Y Nakagawa, M Yamamoto, K Saito. Proceedings of 16th IAPRI Conference, Thailand. (2008).
5) SM Song, YM Chen, GL Chen, et al., Packag. Eng., 29(8): 44-46 (2008) (in Chinese).
6) J Hoffmann. Packag. Technol. Sci., 13, 211-220 (2000).
7) G Sorensen, J Hoffmann. Packag. Technol. Sci., 17, 257-265 (2004).
8) TP Seager. Bus. Strat. Env. 2008 Published online in Wiley InterScience. DOI: 10.1002/bse.632.
9) SP Singh, V Chonhenchob, J Singh. Packag. Technol. Sci., 19, 279-293 (2006).
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Vol.18No.4（2009）

緩衝包装に対する持続可能性指標の開発
霍 李江*、斎藤 勝彦**、中川 幸臣***

革新的な包装システムを実現するために、ライフサイクルアセスメントに基づく緩衝包装に対する持続可能性評価への統合的手法を開発してきた。その手法では社会的・経済的そして環境適性を評価対象として、評価値を貨幣価値に換算することで緩衝包装の包括的な利得を示す持続可能性指標を導き出すものである。ケーススタディーとして、ここではガス調理器具の２種類（パルプモウルドと段ボール）の緩衝包装材を対象にする。検討の結果、緩衝材料とその形成品を生産する過程で生ずる環境へ及ぼすインパクトは主に地球温暖化と酸性化であることを示す。また、
最近提案されたコンポーネント構造体で組み合わされたパルプモウルド緩衝体と段ボール製緩衝体について、持続可能性指標からその優劣を比較している。ここで提案した新しい指標によって、どちらが緩衝包装として総合的に優れているかを評価することができる。
キーワード: 持続可能性指標、緩衝包装、LCA、パルプモウルド、段ボール− 269 −