In 2019, National Geographic announced that the world was facing a “plastic pollution crisis.” Since then, matters have only gotten worse.

As 2022 began, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) revealed as part of its Global Plastics Outlook report that plastic pollution is “growing relentlessly,” with only 9 percent of plastic waste being recycled. To address the problem, the OECD issued a call for new design approaches that acknowledge and address the growing problem.

AeroFlexx, a technology platform that is pursuing breakthroughs in liquid packaging technology, is answering that call. The AeroFlexx Pak combines the best attributes of flexible and rigid plastic packaging while eliminating the negatives. In terms of sustainability, AeroFlexx is committed to source reduction, the most immediate and impactful approach to reducing an organization’s environmental footprint.

Recently, AeroFlexx CEO Andrew Meyer spoke with Waste360 about the work that his company is doing to support sustainability, saying: “The most impactful consideration is source reduction without compromising durability and the consumer’s experience using it. The liquid packaging industry is taking notice by adopting lightweight and flexible packaging. The AeroFlexx Pak, for example, uses up to 70 percent less plastic than traditional bottles, resulting in 73 percent less water consumption and 81 percent less waste that would otherwise end up in landfills. The package can also be curbside recyclable where all plastic bottles are accepted.”

AeroFlexx is delivering sustainability and performance

For brands that utilize liquid packaging, increasing sustainability is often perceived as requiring modifications that compromise product quality or value, but this is not the case with the AeroFlexx Pak. The Pak’s innovative design allows for less plastic and less waste while improving performance, value, and the overall customer experience.

Whereas traditional rigid plastic bottles can be awkward to handle, messy, and wasteful, the AeroFlexx Pak is designed to save time, effort, and cost. Its one-step, easy-tear opening and self-sealing valve ensures that products are not wasted as a result of spills. And after the Pak is opened, users can avoid waste by dispensing liquids like condiments and cleaning products with precision.

“The design of AeroFlexx packaging eliminates consumer frustration,” Meyer said in a recent New York Weekly article on the topic. “Once a consumer tears open the Pak, they just need to grab and squeeze it to dispense, with the unique value design preventing any unwanted excess from escaping.”

AeroFlexx is creating a new standard for packaging production

In developing the AeroFlexx Pak, the designers at AeroFlexx focused on innovations that would deliver real and measurable sustainability impacts. For example, AeroFlexx Paks are lighter than traditional bottles and can be shipped without the use of non-recyclable packaging materials meant to protect products during shipping. As a result, transporting AeroFlexx Paks involves a significantly smaller environmental footprint. It also decreases the cost and hassle associated with shipping traditional plastic bottles.

In December of 2022, Meyer spoke with The San Francisco Post about the benefits the Pak delivers in the area of shipping: “Unfilled, AeroFlexx Pak can be shipped flat so fewer ships and trucks are needed along the supply chain. And, once filled, they don’t break or spill. They don’t even need additional packaging, which saves more space as well as cardboard and those annoying styrofoam peanuts.”

For companies that are looking for ways to contribute to global sustainability efforts, the AeroFlexx Pak may be the solution.

“By adopting the AeroFlexx Pak, companies can accelerate progress toward their environmental, social, and governance goals,” Meyer told The Los Angeles Tribune earlier this year. “For organizations that have fallen behind their targets, our packaging also offers a quick and easy way to get back on track.”