Macpac’s carbon calculator targets decarbonisation

In a move to eliminate the guesswork from sustainable packaging design, thermoforming specialist Macpac has partnered with environmental compliance expert Valpak to launch a bespoke in-house carbon calculator.

By integrating life cycle assessment (LCA) data directly into the design phase, Macpac is shifting the conversation from emotive material choices to quantifiable carbon reduction.

This tool allows the manufacturer to defend its use of high-recycled-content plastics (rPET) by providing transparent, comparable data against paper and bio-plastic alternatives.

The primary advantage of this calculator is its predictive power, effectively carbon-stress-testing at the concept stage. Calculations can also be completed for packs already in development and even existing product lines.

Macpac’s carbon calculator provides clear, visual outputs tailored for each individual client. Easy to print, read and interpret, the carbon datasheet format is ideal for internal use and sustainability reporting.

In line with its own sustainability strategy, Macpac uses rPET material in its thermoformed packaging products. It contains at least 30% post-consumer recycled material and is 100% recyclable.

Moreover, the recycled content of rPET can be increased by up to 100% if necessary. By incorporating more recycled content, Macpac can manufacture packs with lower carbon footprints than some paper or card alternatives.