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Sustainability
Taking responsibility for the present and future of plastics
Sustainability has been a main focus point for Mikropakk for a long time. We have invested in a series of activities to reduce our carbon footprint in manufacturing, as listed below, and actively continue in considering new technologies and opportunities to make both our products and processes greener.
Despite a series of initiatives already implemented within Mikropakk, we are in the process of officialising our 2040 Sustainability goals which will be focused on the following areas
- optimising the energy efficiency of our operations,
- focusing on sustainability already in product design,
- contributing to the quality of life of our community through corporate citizenship.
Green manufacturing & net zero
Sustainable packaging & circular economy
Citizenship
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Green manufacturing & net zero
Beside recyclability of products, excessive energy consumption has historically been a key issue of the injection moulding industry. New-generation moulding machines have already reduced energy usage to 50% from what it was 15 years ago. Still, we are eager to make further improvements, therefore, energy usage is actively measured on each moulding machine to have up to date data.
Implementing green manufacturing processes has become more and more important for Mikropakk over the years in order to minimise the impact both on our local environment and globally. As for making our production processes more sustainable, we focused on reducing and reusing waste generated from manufacturing, administrative and supporting functions, eliminating fossil fuels, converting our operations fully digital and entirely paperless and relying more and more on renewable energy.
Green manufacturing initiatives at Mikropakk
1997 – Implementation of a closed-loop water system to regenerate process and technology water.
2005 – Investment in fully electric machines
2007 – ISO-14001 certification
2011 – Complete elimination of all fossil-fuels in production
2021 – Purchase of an all-electric forklift to eliminate gas fueling in Mikropakk SILVER factory
2022 – Implementation of solar panels and electricity storage solutions
Corporate carbon footprint
For a responsible company it is essential to focus on sustainability aspects. We place great emphasis on environmental sustainability issues in both our operations and production. One of the first steps is to manage our greenhouse gas emissions and plan our future strategy accordingly. Therefore, we asked Denkstatt Hungary Ltd. to calculate the carbon footprint of our activities for the year 2021 (2021.01.01. – 2021.12.31.), according to the GHG Protocol guidance.
The company determined the direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from our activities, and the indirect emissions from purchased energy.
- The direct emissions from our activities were 192.08 tonnes of CO2 aeq.
- The indirect emissions from purchased energy were 2876.68 tonnes of CO2 aeq.
Taking into account the indirect emissions related to the operation of the entire value chain, the total GHG emissions amounted to 3068.76 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This carbon footprint covers all activities of Mikropakk Ltd., including the Budapest and Salgótarján sites. In the light of the results, the largest part of the carbon footprint, 93.74%, is due to indirect emissions.
New modern technology based Moulding machines reduced energy usage to 50% from what it was 15 years ago. Energy usage is actively measured on each moulding machine to have up to date data.
Sustainable packaging & circular economy
There is a good reason why the plastic industry has long been blamed for excessive pollution caused by single-use plastics. Under no circumstances does Mikropakk want to contribute to, promote or blame pollution on consumers. Our goal is to support responsible use while providing sustainable solutions by
- manufacturing products that generate less waste,
- enabling consumers to recycle products,
- ecologically conscious solutions,
- increasing recycled content in products.
Recyclable packaging solutions by Mikropakk
Mikropakk uses a wide range of recyclable materials in manufacturing such as
- PET – The most widely recycled plastic widely known from food industry applications
- PP – Although difficult to recycle, polypropylene can be reused in production in applications where black or grey products are required.
- HDPE – Commonly used in non-food FMCG applications, HDPE is one of the easiest polymers to recycle. It can be transparent or pigmented.
Mikropakk manufactures rigid plastics with mono-materials / multi-layers without compromising quality of finished product.
Product innovations
Mikropakk leverages its extensive engineering know-how to design more sustainable products and manufacturing processes, as well.
End-to-end mindfulness about waste
First, we streamlined and automated our general resin use with a closed-loop supply system in both facilities to prevent any waste during production. As for waste during manufacturing, we design our manufacturing processes to minimise scraps and if possible, re-use them. We also re-use the packaging cartons of incoming materials to pack smaller batches of finished goods after production.
We are eager to make any product greener by
- Reducing product weight to meet new market requirements such as the reduction of total fossil based plastic usage by 30% in 5 years.
- Reusing our own industrial sprues where possible, to create a post-industrial recycling flow and support circular economy.
- Using bio-based and recycled materials in core products.
Citizenship
We are committed to sustainability and strive to offer sustainable alternatives to both our customers and our colleagues. Regular initiatives are launched to maintain the health and vitality of our colleagues and our environment because we believe in the power of creating a culture of green thinking. One of our more recent undertaking has been turning the company fleet serving the commute between our two production sites all electric.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Actively working on increasing the efficiency of our resource use and improving our ecological footprint, we have aligned our goals along the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
#6 Clean water and sanitation
Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
6.5 By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate
Achieving sustainable management of technology water was the first sustainability goal Mikropakk met in 1997. Then, we implemented a closed-loop water system to regenerate process and technology water, meaning that we have not produced any waste water ever since.
#7 Affordable and clean energy
Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
7.2 By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
7.3 By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency
Accelerated action on modern renewable energy is needed in sectors with a huge energy demand also including the plastic industry. Mikropakk is actively working on increasing the ratio of renewable energy in the energy mix and improving energy efficiency throughout the whole production process. As for clean energy, we are installing solar panels in 2022 at our production site to power our consumption directly with clean energy. As for energy efficiency, we work with only modern, energy-efficient injection moulding machines that are not older than 4-5 or maximum 6 years. We also pay special attention to their regular maintenance and monitor energy usage of each machine with real-time data.
#12 Responsible consumption and production
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
12.2 By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources
12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse
12.6 Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle
12.7 Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities
Mikropakk’s sustainable product and production innovation serve this goal. As for efficient use of natural resources, we design our manufacturing processes to minimize waste by having a closed-loop supply system, reusing scraps if possible and upcycling the packaging material that the raw material comes in. As a responsible market player, we also want to take our part in encouring sistainable consumption patterns. That we can achieve by offering more sustainable product design solutions such as reducing a part’s weight and using green, recyclable raw materials.
#13 Climate action
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*
13.2 Integrate climate change measures into policies, strategies and planning
13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
Even though we are globally woefully off track to stay at or below 1,5°C increase of average temperature called for in the Paris Agreement, every little change matters. This is why we have completely eliminated fossil-fuels from our production sites and invested in fully electric injection moulding equipment. In 2021, we also purchased an electric forklift and have eliminated fossil fueling in Mikropakk SILVER entirely.
The Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development calls for the widest possible international cooperation to reach these goals. Aligning our activities helps us keep us focused and be accountable.