Project Team: Mariah Geritano, Hao-ching Shyu, Wenduo Zeng

The aim of this study was to optimize an existing pizza slice container with environmental and economic considerations in mind. The original container we were assigned was composed of Kraft paperboard, or very thin cardboard. While the material currently used is cheap to produce (.01-.05 USD/ container), and has an extremely low total energy consumption (.493 MJ), it faces limitations in renewability. The cellulose fibers used to make the containers have a life span of about 8 life cycles before the fibers become too fragile and unusable. In addition, harmful chemicals are used in the container making process, which are seeped out into the environment, and could potentially harm the end user.

We chose to explore two polymers that are known for their reusability and clean-production without the use of harmful chemicals, Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE). We found that although corrugated cardboard (the equivalent to our Kraft paperboard material) is superior in cost, total energy consumption, and carbon emissions, PET has roughly equivalent values but does not require the use of harmful chemicals to produce, and has a longer reusability life. HDPE has the longest reusability life, but it is heavier than the previous materials, thus requiring more total energy for transportation. However, HDPE does have the lowest water eutrophication value, but with the other characteristics taken into consideration, PET would serve as the best alternative to the Kraft paperboard material.

Models of the food container were made with Solidworks, and the Life Cycle Analysis tool was used to survey the product’s environmental, economical, and sometimes social impact from production to destruction.

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