Washington, DC (PRWEB) April 20, 2015

Americans each drink about 175 gallons of beverages a year, much of which is delivered in plastic jugs; aluminum and steel cans; glass bottles; gable top and aseptic cartons; and flexible pouches. Each of these containers is designed for a specific usage occasion, whether for multiple servings at home or individual servings on the go. As Frank Lloyd Wright would have said, form follows function.

A new brochure from the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment (AMERIPEN), entitled Beverage Packaging: Delivering Taste, Safety, and Sustainability, explores the sustainability benefits of this wide array of beverage package types and the materials from which these containers are produced.

For example, packaging reduces economic and environmental waste by matching the amount of beverage to be served or properly stored with the packaging type needed to effectively and efficiently deliver that product. Beverage packaging also provides healthy as-needed hydration, extends product shelf life, and reduces energy consumption throughout the product life cycle.

Beverage containers also provide benefits in line with the EPA’s “reduce, reuse, and recycle” waste reduction hierarchy. Aluminum and steel beverage containers are among the top recycled items in EPA surveys. Paperboard and plastic containers offer significant source reduction value. Glass packaging is both recyclable and reusable.

According to Donna Dempsey, Executive Director of AMERIPEN, “Beverage packaging is a good example of fitting the right material to the right package for the right application. It works hard to deliver on all three legs of the sustainability stool — social, economic, and environmental performance.”

About AMERIPEN

AMERIPEN advocates for packaging policy developments in North America and focuses on measures that are environmentally and economically sound, as well as socially responsible. The organization, with a science-based, material-neutral approach, encourages informed decision-making on packaging and the environment by policy-makers and thought leaders.

AMERIPEN w elcomes companies that support the philosophy of a collaborative trade and industry organization, active and cooperative issue resolution, and material and packaging system neutrality. More information is available at http://www.AMERIPEN.org.

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AMERIPEN and the AMERIPEN logo are registered trademarks of the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment. All rights reserved.






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