Sustainable Packaging

Brown cardboard on white table

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Sustainable Packaging
From Agricultural Byproducts and Wastes
SectorMost major industry classification systems use sources of revenue as their basis for classifying companies into specific sectors, subsectors and industries. In order to group like companies based on their sustainability-related risks and opportunities, SASB created the Sustainable Industry Classification System® (SICS®) and the classification of sectors, subsectors and industries in the SDG Investor Platform is based on SICS.
Food and Beverage
Food and Agriculture
Business Model Description

Through B2B and B2C models, companies can buy agricultural waste/byproducts from farmers as raw materials that will be processed into sustainable packaging and generate revenue from sales of products to other businesses and consumers. This IOA will help generate additional income for farmers from selling the agricultural waste/byproducts as raw materials,

and reduce marine plastic pollution from replacement of plastic packaging, reduce air pollution from reduced open burning of agricultural waste/byproduct, and. Moreover, replacing plastic packaging will also help decrease health risks for consumers from reduced exposure to contaminants in plastics. Investors can invest money in companies that produce and sell sustainable packaging. Examples of companies active in this space are:

Gracz has produced compostable food packaging and containers since 2009 that are made from agricultural byproducts/wastes such as sugarcane bagasse, rice straw, water hyacinth, corn stalk, etc. Gracz also supports farmers with preprocessing the raw materials to become suppliers for Gracz, and generate income (1).

Reusable food and beverage containers made from rice straw are now readily available many shops in Thailand, more than 70 percent export to Europe and Asia. Local businesses and university labs are using natural materials such as banana leaves, or coconut to create sustainable containers and packaging (10).

Expected Impact

Sustainable packaging from agricultural waste/byproducts provide alternatives to plastics that can reduce marine plastic pollution and air pollution, while also providing income to farmers.

Indicative ReturnDescribes the rate of growth an investment is expected to generate within the IOA. The indicative return is identified for the IOA by establishing its Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Return of Investment (ROI) or Gross Profit Margin (GPM).
> 25% (in GPM)
Investment TimeframeDescribes the time period in which the IOA will pay-back the invested resources. The estimate is based on asset expected lifetime as the IOA will start generating accumulated positive cash-flows.
Short Term (0–5 years)
Market SizeDescribes the value of potential addressable market of the IOA. The market size is identified for the IOA by establishing the value in USD, identifying the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) or providing a numeric unit critical to the IOA.
USD 50 million - USD 100 million
Average Ticket Size (USD)Describes the USD amount for a typical investment required in the IOA.
USD 1 million - USD 10 million
Direct ImpactDescribes the primary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Good health and well-being (SDG 3) Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11) Life Below Water (SDG 14)
Indirect ImpactDescribes the secondary SDG(s) the IOA addresses.
Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12)
Sector Sources
  • 1) https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/35114/Market-Study-for-Thailand-Plastics-Circularity-Opportunities-and-Barriers.pdf?sequence=7&isAllowed=y 2) http://stiic.sti.or.th/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/BCG_Final1.pdf 3) https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/Report/DownloadReportByFileName?fileName=Thailand%27s%20Food%20Trends%20in%202021_Bangkok_Thailand_01-25-2021 4) https://www.sei.org/featured/microplastics-from-ocean-to-table/ 5) https://www.oecd.org/env/GFE-Gender-Issues-Note-Session-5.pdf 6) https://cdn.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/210212c-killeen-archer-air-quality-in-thailand-wp-2101e-final.pdf 7) https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/35114/Market-Study-for-Thailand-Plastics-Circularity-Opportunities-and-Barriers.pdf?sequence=7&isAllowed=y 8) https://thailand.prd.go.th/1700/ewt/thailand/ewt_news.php?nid=7831&filename=index 9) https://kasikornresearch.com/en/analysis/k-econ/business/Pages/z3137-Packaging.aspx
IOA Sources
  • 1) https://www.voicetv.co.th/read/107396" 2) https://kasikornresearch.com/en/analysis/k-econ/business/Pages/z3137-Packaging.aspx" 3) https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/bitstream/handle/10986/35114/Market-Study-for-Thailand-Plastics-Circularity-Opportunities-and-Barriers.pdf?sequence=7&isAllowed=y" 4) https://oceanconference.un.org/commitments/?id=18208" 5) https://www.sei.org/featured/microplastics-from-ocean-to-table/" 6) https://www.oecd.org/env/GFE-Gender-Issues-Note-Session-5.pdf" 7) https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/19/7298/html" 8) https://cdn.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/210212c-killeen-archer-air-quality-in-thailand-wp-2101e-final.pdf" 9) https://www.boi.go.th/upload/content/Thailand,%20Taking%20off%20to%20new%20heights%20@%20belgium_5ab4e8042850e.pdf" 10) https://www.salika.co/2019/11/08/3-container-models-from-natural/" 11) https://tdri.or.th/2020/05/plastic-waste-from-food-delivery-services-in-covid-19-lockdown/" 12) https://www.fao.org/3/ae538e/ae538e06.htm" 13) https://www.pcd.go.th/publication/14745/" 14) http://infofile.pcd.go.th/waste/WasteMasterPlan.pdf?CFID=1614347&CFTOKEN=55860890" 15) http://stiic.sti.or.th/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/BCG_Final1.pdf" 16) https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/3-602-5267?transitionType=Default&contextData=(sc.Default)&firstPage=true#co_anchor_a860206" 17) https://www.boi.go.th/upload/content/BOI-A%20Guide_EN.pdf" 18) https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/beach-litter?tab=table&country=RUS~BRB~MAR~GHA" 19) https://thailand.prd.go.th/1700/ewt/thailand/ewt_news.php?nid=7831&filename=index" 20) http://food.fda.moph.go.th/law/data/announ_moph/V.English/No.295-48%20Qualities%20or%20standard%20for%20container%20made%20from%20plastic.pdf" 21) http://www.tei.or.th/greenlabel/en/about.html" 22) https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/compostable-packaging-market-size-share-trend-2021-industry-key-player-trend-and-segmented-data-demand-and-forecast-by-2030-2022-02-25?mod=search_headline" 23) https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/paper-forest-products-and-packaging/our-insights/the-drive-toward-sustainability-in-packaging-beyond-the-quick-wins" 24) http://envfund.onep.go.th/backoffice/uploads/detail/meuns_left/details/file_id_29_2020-01-24.pdf"