Packaging WITH CARE

Kajal Anand shares her views on the evolution of packaging for cosmetic products.

Cosmetic and personal care product packaging has evolved from simplistic utilitarian containers to commercial works of art and now has branched into an entirely new and even more dynamic concept referred to as ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘green’ packaging.

A new lexicon for this technology has emerged and includes terms such as biodegradable, sustainable, recyclable, compostable, natural, organic, reusable, refillable, bulk, concentrates, bio plastics, dematerialisation, energy efficiency, green washing, and carbon footprint.

The major microbial risk factors associated with eco-friendly cosmetic and personal care packaging are essentially the same as those challenging conventional packaging and are directly related to the degree of product exposure, the frequency of direct consumer product contact, normal and unexpected consumer use behaviours, and the availability of opportunities for consumer abuse.

Depending on the green approach taken, however, many of the new eco-friendly concepts have the potential to further exacerbate potential microbial risk if not properly evaluated and controlled. This is largely due to the lack of significant history and experience with many of the new materials and associated technologies.

The physical and compositional characteristics of the primary cosmetic package can significantly influence microbial risk potential. Material composition is more important when using packaging components fabricated from eco-friendly and sustainable natural raw materials.

The more use of naturally derived ‘green’ materials can lead to a greater likelihood of product package or preservative package incompatibility that could lead to preservative system failure.

EVALUATING THE QUALITY

The determination of preservative system robustness is a critical factor in evaluating product and package microbial risk potential and should be made an integral part of the product package development process.

Preservative efficacy protocols for measuring robustness should minimally include at least two or more microbial challenges spaced relatively close together.

In addition to the conventional recommended protocols for product PET, it is also highly recommended that in vivo consumer use testing of the product in the final package form be conducted. Many questions still remain regarding the compatibility and stability of many eco-friendly packaging materials when used in conjunction with preservatives or complex natural ingredient formulations.

Accordingly, it is mandatory that all new or compositionally modified packages, components, and materials be subjected to rigorous product stability and compatibility studies conducted over an extended range of temperatures and environmental conditions. Part of the stability criteria should include the verification that the accelerated ageing process has not compromised effectiveness of the preservative system.

The product applicator or delivery mechanism is one of the most critical factors influencing consumer use contamination and microbial risk. The primary concerns are the degree of product exposure and the transfer of contamination to and from the consumer and/or the environment.

Vivid examples exist as to the negative ramifications associated with certain reusable applicator concepts.

Applicators designed specifically for use in applying products to sensitive areas are of most concern since they have the greatest vulnerability to microbial contamination.

The concern is that many applicator formats and mechanisms can provide the ideal environment for the capture, retention, and proliferation of microorganisms.

Repeated microbiological insult of the product in the primary container via applicators or nonrestrictive closures can lead to degradation of preservative system capacity.

A weakened preservative system cannot withstand additional incremental microbial insults, resulting in the product becoming irreversibly contaminated.

Packaging components constructed of materials derived from organic fibre, plant-based polymers, or similar natural materials may provide the opportunity for enhanced package/product interaction and possible preservative inactivation, both of which could contribute to a more rapid breakdown of the preservative system.

THE ART OF PACKAGING

The evolution of cosmetic and personal care product packaging from simplistic utilitarian containers to commercial works of art that entice the consumer to purchase the contents has now given way to an entirely new and even more dynamic concept referred to as ‘eco-friendly’ or ‘green’ packaging.

Not only does a package have to be visually and sensually appealing but it must also encompass the very essence of naturalness, environmental compatibility, and healthfulness. Over the past number of years, consumers have become significantly more environmentally conscious. In doing so, they have also become more aware of the potential negative impact of ill-conceived and/or superfluous packaging and packaging materials on the environment. The excessive use of large, overblown package formats composed of complex mixtures of synthetically derived materials and non-degradable plastics often derived from unsustainable resources appears to be a major factor in driving this phenomenon.

Whether valid or not, there is a growing common perception that packaging and packaging concepts of the past are no longer in tune with the sound and fiscally responsible environmental attitudes of the future.

Savvy and foresighted manufacturers and suppliers are beginning to take advantage of this new trend and focus considerable effort and resources on the development of more eco-friendly packaging and green packaging materials.

As a result of this evolution, a new lexicon has emerged to describe the various attributes of this relatively new technology. Terms such as biodegradable, sustainable, recyclable, compostable, natural, organic, reusable, refillable, bulk, concentrates, bioplastics, dematerialization, energy efficiency, green washing, and carbon footprint have been introduced and are becoming a part of the common parlance when referring to eco-friendly and green issues.

On the surface, most of these concepts appear to be more than appropriate to satisfy the desire to become more ecologically conscious. Without proper evaluation and determination of long-term consequences, however, there may be some serious negative ramifications resulting from attempting to apply these ‘green’ principles.

CAREFUL ASSESSMENTS

Some of the potentially negative implications that may be associated with blindly pursuing the development, manufacture, and implementation of fundamental ‘green’ packaging ideas involve pitfalls and areas of concern such as increased product microbial contamination risk, product/package compatibility and stability issues, product preservative inactivation, decreased package integrity, reduced product shelf life, increased product weight loss, lack of an adequate disposal/recycling infrastructure, increased energy consumption, and possible negative impact on other resource application sectors, for example, agriculture and food supply.

Any design or material modification that contributes to increasing the probability of microbial contamination can, in turn, negatively affect consumer risk and product safety.

Although the challenges related to contamination potential are the most critical, they are often the least likely to be fully appreciated and the last to be considered. The bottom line is that these and other related concerns and considerations must be satisfactorily evaluated and the associated issues resolved early on in the package development process in order to be successful in implementing comprehensive eco-friendly reforms in the basic fundamental concepts of package engineering and design. PBHJ