The history of paper

The history of paper, a history of almost 2000 years, started in 105 A.D. in China, when the eunuch Ts'ai presents his invention to the Emperor.

Before that, documents were written on bamboo (very heavy) or silk (very expensive). So, when we discovered the technology for making paper out of bark, we immediately understood the importance and value that it had and China kept the secret for a long time or, to put it in more modern terms, the patent.

It is necessary to wait until 750 for the paper to leave China and reach Samarkand when the governor of the Caliphate of Baghdad captures two Chinese paper makers to steal the secrets of the production of this still unknown material. Since then, the history of the Charter has other fundamental dates that mark its stages of development. In Italy, Sicily was the first region to host a paper production plant, under Islamic rule.

In 1200 the paper industry spread throughout the Middle Eastern world and also Italy sees the birth of the paper mills of Amalfi and Fabriano and, century after century, many European countries had their plants for the production of paper: France, England and then the Netherlands were the countries that more than the others gave their contribution to the techniques of production and, in particular, of paper bleaching which, thanks to the invention of mobile printing, became an increasingly popular commodity for book printing.

Source: Eco-envelop from Botta packaging

In 1600, the industry suffered a severe setback because of the plague: paper was in fact produced from rags but, to stop the contagion, they were made to burn, thus eliminating, in fact, the raw material for the production of this material. It will be the Netherlands, in 1800, to start the production of cellulose from wood.

And in 1880, a process was invented that allowed us to obtain a very sturdy paper: Kraft paper, a real revolution for the packaging world.

You can’t talk about paper without immediately connecting to the history of one of its main products: packaging! Its origins can be traced back to the late 18th century when the Industrial Revolution introduced massive changes in manufacturing industry.

Reference

https://www.comieco.org/carta-e-cartone/storia/  

Continua a leggere

Cradle to Cradle

This means producing a product in such a way that at the end of their life cycle they can be 100% reused. Therefore, manufacturers should look out for products that would not end up going to the grave and possibly destroying the environment because of their inability to degrade but to be recycled into something new that can serve another purpose. This concept involves no waste at all, fully sustainable, and complete reutilization of components used.  The philosophy surrounding this goes through 5 quality classifications. They include material health, material reutilization, water stewardship, social fairness, and renewable energy & carbon management.

Material Health has to do with the quality of the material being used for the production of the products and this matters throughout the life cycle of the products. This is by assessing the implications the materials would have on human health, animals, and the entire ecosystem as a whole.

Material Reutilization is about how the material for production is capable of being used to serve another purpose after its initial one. This helps to eliminate waste and focuses more on the effective use of resources.

Water stewardship deals with managing the use of water to mitigate any risks associated with its usage.  This helps in preserving water sustainably. 

With social fairness comes taking into consideration the interest of all stakeholders of your manufacturing process as an organization. That is, from employees to the community and the environment at large. 

Source: Sustainable product from Botta packaging

The management of renewable energy to reduce the release and impact of carbon into the ecosphere falls under the last quality category. If carbon is not well managed the whole ecosystem would become unsafe for our dwelling and their quest to produce goods and services would not be fulfilled in the long run. 

Without a very well-preserved environment, no production would be successful anyway therefore, organizations should take up this concept.

Sources

External Links

https://magazine.mosa.com/en-gb/the-definition-and-philosophy-of-cradle-to-cradle-design-explained

https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-3-642-28036-8_165

Picture Link

https://unsplash.com/photos/TE_fvX7fhD8

 

Continua a leggere

RECYCLING PLASTIC

Plastic recycling is the collection, sorting, and repurposing of waste plastic materials to create new and usable items out of them. This will guarantee that the vast majority of plastics generated do not wind up in landfills or polluting the environment. It is necessary to differentiate between the various kinds of plastic since they need distinct recycling procedures. As a result, there are two fundamental approaches to recycling: mechanical recycling and advanced recycling.

Mechanical recycling is the process of melting plastics and reprocessing them into new goods via the use of injection molding.  Processes such as pyrolysis, chemical recycling, and gasification are used in advanced recycling. When it comes to breaking down plastic materials, this method takes advantage of the chemical reaction. This includes the gathering and sorting of plastics, the washing of contaminants, shredding and resizing, the separation of materials after resizing, and the compounding of components.

Source: Botta Packaging

Plastics production is still on the rise, owing to the cheap cost, flexibility, and wide range of uses available. According to Statista, the global plastics output reached 368 million metric tons in 2019, it is also anticipated to reach 445.25 million metric tons in 2025 and increase to about 590 million metric tons by 2050. Despite the high volume of manufacturing, only a small proportion of the waste gets recycled. These figures demonstrate how urgent it is for us to take action to address the rising numbers. Production that does not include recycling or appropriate waste management would have the unintended consequence of harming the environment. Improper plastic management results in the release of pollutants into the environment, which in turn contributes to global warming and the emission of hazardous gases into the atmosphere, making the environment unfit for human habitation. Recycling will minimize the number of raw materials required for manufacturing, help create employment, and reduce demand for new raw materials, thus helping conserve natural resources.

 

 

Continua a leggere

 

Cradle to Grave

A company or business is responsible for the proper disposal of its products; therefore, it must come up with a proper and well-managed concept to fulfill this task. This is purposely done to reduce the amount of waste and hazardous substances from the environment as we are in the new century of sustainability. The cradle is where life begins and the grave is where it ends. In the context of sustainability, it deals with how an organization's product life cycle affects the environment. From the conception of the product to its final stage, whether they become waste which is managed well or not. This deals with the creation of a product to the disposal of the product. This helps manufacturing companies to know when and which product to recycle, reuse and last resort being disposing of it to reduce the amount of waste accumulated at the end of the day.

Every product created is unique in its own ways and has different components in its production, therefore, its disposal would also be different or unique respective to its creation. With this in mind, for companies to do proper disposal of waste products they would have to assess each component of a product and learn how to best dispose of it off. They cannot use the same disposal method of one product for another. 

A company should also learn about the product's life cycle to have a greater degree of control over its disposal. All businesses are mandated to follow this principle to maintain and sustain the environment and not vice versa. It is also the responsibility of each individual in the organization especially the top-level managers to see to it that this obligation is carried for the betterment of the environment.

                                                        Source: Botta Packaging

 

 

Sources

External links

https://www.isoqar.co.za/post/why-the-cradle-to-grave-principle

https://kiwi-energy.medium.com/what-is-a-cradle-to-grave-analysis-fd1b507e77d0

Picture Link

https://unsplash.com/photos/FoG7PKNYjpM

 

Continua a leggere

 

Green Housing

Green Housing is a kind of housing that has been intended to be sustainable and ecologically friendly, strives to utilize energy, water, and construction materials in an effective manner

It is a housing constructed to save energy or water, while also providing a better interior environment, less trash, and more eco-friendly materials. This protects the environment and employees from the impact of raw materials. There are now environmentally friendly and resource-efficient structures in the manufacturing sector that are expected to be an essential component of the industry in the future.

 

Sustainable elements, such as energy and water efficiency, are included in green construction to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and nonrenewable resources. The creation of less trash while providing a better living environment for the environment is possible with green raw materials. 

 

The advantages of environmentally-friendly buildings;

 

Researchers have shown that improved building and indoor air quality result in lower rates of respiratory illnesses.Environment-friendly - Uses resources like electricity and water, which are very scarce, for packaging goods. It also conserves natural resources, such as renewable resources. Waste efficiency, reuse, and recycling are all forms of reducing waste and conserving natural resources.

 

Increased revenue - This benefitted both end-user and developer customers. The cost of LEED certification ranges between two and five percent of the overall cost of a project.

Source:  Life cycle assessment from Botta Packaging

 

Social Benefits: Improve the quality of life for occupants by increasing their health and comfort while using low-carbon-footprint technologies. 

 

Environmental advantages —Reduces environmental waste quantity. It also contributes to natural resources conservation and thus improves the preservation of biodiversity and the quality of ecosystems.

 

These kinds of buildings are the new ways that contribute to the sustainability of the environment. Let’s welcome them with open arms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources

External links

https://www.usgbc.org/leed

https://www.frbsf.org/community-development/files/frasercook.pdf

Picture link

https://unsplash.com/photos/0NJ9urGXrIg

 

 

Continua a leggere