INNOVATIVE PACKAGING FOR A CIRCULAR AND SUSTAINABLE SUPPLY CHAIN

Millions of tons of plastics for packaging are produced every year, highlighting the need of new packaging characterized by recyclability and composability features, along with the utilization of renewable resources. Packaging solutions can play a key role in facilitating the transition to circular economy, however, despite their widely recognized potential towards circular transition, biobased and/or biodegradable packages could also entail environmental impacts along their life cycle. The aim of this study is to explore the features and the situations arising along the life cycle of biobased and/or biodegradable packages which can improve the circularity of the supply chains, but at the same time which could entail other environmental impacts. The intent is to reveal possible trade-off situations which may occur with reference to both circularity and environmental sustainability. This study presents a systematic literature review, performed through ISI Web of Knowledge database, including the following keywords: (packaging OR pack*) AND bio* AND "supply chain" AND (sustain* OR circular* OR clos* OR loop*) and leading to 214 articles. Then the articles were selected to include only those dealing with biobased and/or biodegradable packaging and with a circular supply chain vision. At the end of this step, 25 articles are obtained, which are further analyzed, exploring trade-off situations. This study presents some solutions that can help directing biobased and/or biodegradable packages towards an environmentally sustainable circularity along the supply chains.