Packaging
Here at Biome Lifestyle we aim to be as environmentally conscious as possible, so every step we make is considered. We are extra careful when choosing our packaging so we thought we’d share this with you.
According to UK Government statistics, Britain generated 10.5 million tonnes of packaging waste in 2007, of which nearly 60% was recovered and recycled. The comparable figure for 1998 was 27%, so great progress has been made in the last 10 years.
Paper and board are the most widely used packaging materials in terms of weight. Paper and board account for 43% by weight of all packaging and are used to pack 25% of all goods. They make up 6.4% of the overall content of the typical household dustbin. At the same time, however, recycling waste paper is the biggest recycling success story in the UK. Recycled paper makes up more than 70% of the raw material used by the UK paper industry.
To make more progress on reducing the amount of packaging waste going to landfill, the plan has to be to avoid using packaging where we can, re-use what we can, and recycle all the rest.
- We try not to “over-pack”, although we also try to make sure that your purchase reaches you undamaged!
- We’ll re-use incoming packaging materials where we can. Sorry if these look a bit less neat than you would expect, but at least you know why.
- Anything we absolutely cannot re-use goes into a local authority recycling bin.
Here are a few more detailed points.
Bubble wrap – we are pleased to say that our bubble wrap is now biodegradable! We would prefer to avoid bubble wrap altogether, but unfortunately the fragile nature of most of our products really calls for it. However, when the ‘Bio Bubble’ is disposed of suitably, this product will biodegrade in nine months.
A better alternative is to re-use it, of course. You could keep it until you, too, need to protect something fragile.
Tissue paper – All our tissue is made from 100% recycled post-consumer waste. Colours will vary depending on the content of the waste being processed.
Void fillers – We always try to avoid using over-sized boxes. Where we can’t, we fill the voids with 100% recycled kraft paper. Alternatively we occasionally use newspaper to protect fragile items and prevent them from damage. You may find an article that you want to read!
Gift-wrap – Made from 100% recycled post-consumer waste and printed with vegetable inks. The print has been designed exclusively for Biome Lifestyle.
Printed materials – Most of our stationery is printed on recycled paper. Where that’s not suitable, any new paper we use carries a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification of sustainable forest management.
What to do with your cardboard box
Now, how will you deal with the cardboard box you probably just received or will be receiving from us? Sorry, but if you get a box from us it really was unavoidable.
Boxes are always useful. They’re designed to put stuff in, and we’ve all got lots of stuff! Maybe you’ll be needing boxes for next Christmas’s gifts? Or for storing the things you use only occasionally?
Racing cars
You can turn boxes into racing cars; this link will show you how.
If re-use isn’t possible, then recycling via a paper and card recycling scheme running where you live is the thing to do. If that’s not an option, remember that paper and card are ideal elements in a compost heap, especially if you have lots of grass clippings to deal with. For newcomers to composting, here’s a link to a site that will get you started.
And finally……
Biome Lifestyle is a small company, just trying to ‘do the right thing’. We won’t change the world; but we aim to take a step in the right direction by offering products produced with a minimum social and environmental footprint. We also realise that we have many, many more steps to take. We are really happy to share the journey with you.