Collapsed packaging: why it’s a problem and why it might be about to get worse

Corrugated packaging and boxes are designed to help securely load shipments and protect goods. However, high humidity is a constant risk with moisture weakening paper-based fibers and the resulting strength of a box. The traditional response? Use more and heavier-duty materials to reinforce boxes – or start adding waterproof plastic into the mix. But what’s the solution now that new regulations demand that packaging needs to be lighter, more efficient and more sustainable? In a word, desiccants.

Faced with stricter regulations to make packaging more sustainable and keep plastic and waste to a minimum, packaging manufacturers and their shipping customers need to think outside the box. Literally.

The new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) has recently come into effect. This will force companies to change how they set up their packaging, such as making sure that all packaging is recyclable by 2030, ensuring a minimum recycled content in new packaging and delivering reductions in packaging waste of 5% by 2030, 10% by 2035 and 15% by 2040.

Can the packaging industry deliver?

This is a real challenge for the packaging industry – especially if they want to ensure that shipping boxes don’t collapse and jeopardize valuable cargo even more than they do now.

Traditionally, packaging manufacturers and their customers have looked to protect cargo and safeguard packaging from moisture damage by over-dimensioning with more expensive, heavier materials and designs, using plastic coatings and sheet wraps, and by using fresh virgin wood fibers that are stronger than recycled fibers. Now, they need to go the other way, looking for lighter, more efficient designs, avoiding plastic as much as possible and starting to use more recycled fibers.

Given current packaging materials and designs already struggle to cope with the effects of high relative humidity, especially over the days and weeks of ocean-going container shipping, then it’s clear that the new PPWR requirements will only increase the risk of packaging collapse and cargo damage … UNLESS relative humidity can be controlled and maintained to minimize moisture damage.

How relative humidity affects packaging performance

Here, you can see how paper-based boxes lose up to 30–40% of their compression strength at 70% RH.

Without effective control, humidity in ocean-going containers will frequently reach 70% and beyond. Also, this is often over long periods of transport and storage where boxes are losing their strength day by day.

But imagine if you could control and maintain the relative humidity around 50%? You’d be able to ensure the long-term performance of the packaging and protection of your cargo. And you could even handle the new PPWR requirements safely and confidently as well as optimizing the weight, waste, cost and environmental impact of your packaging.

Let us help

At Absortech, we believe that a combined desiccant and packaging solution is the way forward. With the right moisture protection strategy that uses desiccants to control and maintain the relative humidity in the container, you can choose your packaging with more accuracy and confidence. And will give you the leeway you need to safely reduce the size and weight of the packaging as well as move towards a higher percentage of recycled fibers.

To get the right moisture protection that is fully optimized for your cargo and choice of packaging, speak to us.

Our Peace of Moisture Mind® (POMM) approach can securely protect your cargo and boxes against moisture damage – as well as delivering the most cost-effective, sustainable and PPWR-compliant solution.