Packaging Sustainability  101

English
  • Author:  Henrik Jungclas and Kevin C. Kenny
  • Level: Beginner
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Course overview
This course provides an overview of key sustainability topics and their impact on packaging, including past regulatory initiatives and future considerations. Participants will gain insights into emerging issues shaping the landscape of packaging sustainability.
  • Course Length: ~80 Minutes

Course Overview

Packaging sustainability is rapidly changing how products are designed, marketed, reported, and managed throughout their lifecycle. This course provides a practical introduction to the environmental concepts and regulatory developments affecting packaging professionals and organizations.Participants will explore essential terminology, including the circular economy, Extended Producer Responsibility, life-cycle assessment, post-consumer recycled content, recyclability, compostability, reuse, and design for recycling.

The course examines environmental marketing claims and greenwashing risks, with guidance on substantiation, certifications, labeling, and applicable US and EU requirements.The course also reviews single-use plastic restrictions, state EPR programs, Producer Responsibility Organizations, reporting obligations, and the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.

By the end of the course, participants will better understand the sustainability landscape, recognize emerging compliance challenges, and identify practical steps for preparing their organizations for changing packaging requirements.Normal text.

Course Highlights

A short explanation of what this course is all about

Sustainability Foundations

Understand how broader sustainability goals affect packaging.

Circular Economy 

Explore circularity, life-cycle assessment, recycled content, reuse, and recycling.


Environmental Claims

Recognize common sustainability claims and greenwashing risks.

Claims Compliance

Learn how environmental claims should be supported and communicated.

Plastic Restrictions

Review regulations affecting single-use plastic packaging.

Producer Responsibility 

Understand EPR programs, producer organizations, fees, and reporting.

PPWR Requirements

Examine EU requirements for reduction, recyclability, reuse, and recycled content.

Compliance Planning 

Prepare through early data collection, collaboration, and regulatory monitoring.


Henrik Jungclas, PhD

Subject Matter Expert in Packaging Sustainability
Henrik is a Subject Matter Expert (SME) with 20 years of experience in Packaging Sustainability, Food Contact and the Packaging Supply Chain. His career has spanned FoodChain ID, Decernis, Sunoco, Weidenhammer and Tetra Pak.  He holds a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Phillips University in Marburg, Germany, is a trained Quality Auditor and Manager and a Six Sigma Green Belt. Henrik has also chaired the Food Contact group of the German Paper Converting Association and was an external expert to the German BfR Commission Subgroup on Paper & Board. 
ABOUT Henrik

Kevin C. Kenny, J.D., LL.M.

Regulatory Attorney, Subject Matter Expert in Food and Consumer Products Compliance
Kevin is a regulatory attorney who founded two companies while working in Product Safety and Food/Cosmetics Compliance for nearly 30 years. He established cooperations with 50 governments globally and built products and services aimed at simplifying Regulatory Compliance across the Food and Consumer Products supply chain, traveling in 100+ countries and living in eight. His objective is to give back to the food and consumer products industry by providing comprehensive training courses affordable by all in the supply chain.
ABOUT Kevin