Sustainibility of Packaging

Total Hours in Course120

Number of hours for lectures12

Number of hours for seminars and practical classes24

Independent study hours84

Date of course confirmation14.02.2017

Responsible UnitInstitute of Food

Course developer

prof.

Sandra Muižniece-Brasava

Dr. sc. ing.

Course abstract

Students get acquainted with the general characteristics of the packaging industry. Views packaging as an essential marketing element. Assess the design and functionality of packaging materials. Acquire knowledge of conventional, active, intelligent and biodegradable packaging. Describe the sustainability of transport packages, packaging and the economic aspects of the packaging cycle. Analyse the management and recycling of used packaging.
Practical works and seminars will give practical skills to evaluate packaging materials.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

1. Knowledge and understanding of the packaging industry, packaging materials and technologies, logistics, packaging recycling and their sustainability. Are able to explain the key concepts and legal relationships of the packaging industry – practical works.

2. Ability to orient themselves in packaging types, manufacturing processes of forms and implementation of packaging technologies - practical works; Test 1.

3. Competence: capable of selecting and analyzing packaging materials, latest packaging technologies, design and functionality. – Test 2; home works, practical works

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Lecture, Practical work: Packaging as an essential element of added value. Work in groups - analysis of the situation.
2. Lecture, Practical work: Product life cycle.
3. Lecture, Practical work: Primary conventional packaging, its types, functionality and design. Workshop – discussion. Practical handling of packaging grouping.
4. Lecture, Practical work: Secondary and tertiary packaging  their economic impact on the life cycle stages of packaging.
5. Lecture, Practical work: Active, intelligent and biodegradable packaging. Working in groups.
First test
6. Lecture, Practical work: Packaging as a cornerstone for maintaining product quality and reducing food waste. Discussion, critical approach.
7. Lecture, Practical work: Recycling of packaging, the economic benefits associated with it. Discussion and analysis.
8. Lecture, Practical work: Sustainability of packaging. Workshop – discussion.
9. Lecture, Practical work: Consumer Economy.
10. Lecture, Practical work: Digitization of packaging. Discussion-Seminar.
11. Lecture, Practical work: Packaging and Logistics. Critical evaluation of this in the workshop.
12. Lecture, Practical work: Recognition, application and regulation of packaging markings, hundreds and packaging. Test for matching the correct questions and answers of the labelling symbols.
13. Lecture, Practical work: Nano technology - the future of packaging. Workshop.
14. Lecture, Practical work: Close symbiosis of packaging and product.
Second test
15. Lecture, Practical work: Consumers, their awareness of the “brilliance and scourge” of packaging.
16. Lecture, Practical work: Assessment of individual work, exam.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Exam, where the grade consists of:
1. Independent work report, on the basis of which the student obtains a positive evaluation (accounting for 50% of the grade).
2. Both tests are successfully written. All practical works and seminars are completed, all homework assignments have a positive evaluation (accounting for 50% of the grade).
All tests, homeworks and practical works must have a positive evaluation in order to be able to defend the report.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

1st homework. Students conduct a questionnaire of 30 respondents in order to find out their knowledge and opinion on food packaging (submision of questionnaire results in electronic format).
2nd homework. Package recycling, volume reduction / optimization options (at least 4 pages, submitted electronically).

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Exam (grade), where the grade consists of:
1. Independent work report, on the basis of which the student obtains a positive evaluation (accounting for 50% of the grade).
2. Both tests are successfully written (accounting for 25% of the grade).
3. All practical works and seminars are completed and homework assignments have a positive evaluation (accounting for 25% of the grade).

Compulsory reading

1. Dukaļska L., Muižniece-Brasava S. Progresīvās iepakojuma tehnoloģijas pārtikas industrijā. Jelgava, LLU, 2012. 192 lpp. Ir LLU FB 30 eks.
2. Dukaļska L. Pārtikas produktu iepakošanas tehnoloģija. Jelgava: LLU PTF, 2003. 670 lpp. Ir LLU FB 125 eks.
3. Robertson G.L. Food Packaging: Principles and Practice. 3rd Edition. CRC Press, 2012. 733 p. Nav LLU FB. IR LNB 2013.g.
4. Helstrom D., Olsoon A. Managing Packaging Design for Sustainable Development: A Compass for Strategic Directions. Chichester, UK: Wiley. 2017. 240 p. Nav LLU FB.
5. Waldron KW. Handbook of Waste Management and Co-Product Recovery in Food Processing. vol 2. Woodhead Publishing.2009. 680 p.

Periodicals and other sources

1. The magazine Tara i upakovka [tiešsaiste]. [Skatīts 16.09.2019.] . Pieejams: http://www.magpack.ru/en/win/soderj.html
2. Bioplastic Magazine [tiešsaiste]. [Skatīts 17.09.2019.] . Pieejams: https://www.bioplasticsmagazine.com/en/index.php
3. The European Organization for Packaging and the Environment [tiešsaiste]. [Skatīts 16.09.2019.]. Pieejams: https://europen-packaging.eu/about-us.html

Notes

Limited-choice course for full-time students of the ESAF academic master's degree in the study programme “Business and Logistics” in studies in the 2 semester

Atsauksmes