Shifting away from oil-based plastics, the new packaging materials designed for Ericsson remote radio products employ wood fibre materials for packaging inserts, leading to a substantial reduction in the company’s environmental impact
The new sustainable packaging solution introduced by Ericsson for its remote radio products. (Credit: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
Ericsson, a Swedish networking and telecommunications company, said that its design team in Stockholm has introduced a sustainable packaging solution for its remote radio products.
The new design, which transitions from oil-based plastics, utilises wood fibre materials for packaging inserts, thereby significantly cutting down Ericsson’s environmental footprint.
According to Ericsson, its green initiative is aimed at diminishing the harmful impact of packaging on the environment. The revamped packaging inserts are said to bring down the total plastic content from 20% to under 1%.
The company said that an anti-abrasion coating on the wood fibre, enables it to get rid of the customary plastic bag used for safeguarding the product. The residual plastic pertains solely to the tape sealing the external package, said the networking and telecommunications firm.
Collaborating with suppliers Nefab and DS Smith, Ericsson’s solution is said to address the challenges of designing plastic-free packaging for hefty electronic products, which typically weigh between 24-36kg.
The revamped designs uphold the crucial structural robustness necessary for safeguarding products during transit. Apart from eradicating plastics and ensuring full recyclability, the new packaging approach potentially balances or even betters the CO2e impact relative to prevailing solutions, said the company.
Ericsson’s new green packaging solution features a 99% fibre-based composition. Besides, the reinvented packaging, constituted by 100% corrugated inserts, also results in a size reduction of 15 to 20% compared to traditional plastic alternatives, said the company.
The company said that successful trials have been held through its COSMOTE subsidiary in Greece in collaboration with Swisscom and Deutsche Telekom. Following this, Ericsson anticipates a broader roll-out of the sustainable packaging solution to an expanded clientele and a broader range of hardware products shortly.
The Swedish company aims to achieve Net Zero across its entire operations by 2040 and the new sustainable packaging solution is part of the efforts.
Ericsson sustainability head Mats Pellbäck Scharp said: “Packaging is part of our supply chain target of halving emissions by 2030, and removing plastics contributes to our climate and other environmental ambitions.
“The Ericsson design team has shown that it is possible to remove plastics from packaging for complex and heavy telecom gear while maintaining essential product protection.”