6. Environment >
6.3 Packaging >
6.3.1 The Eco-Pint
The Eco-Pint
The history of the eco-pint takes us back to 1997 when we began researching the availability of totally chlorine-free paperboard. Our goal was to create a pint packaging that was free of added chlorine and ultimately made of renewable resources. This would entail changing the paperboard from a conventional bleaching process to an unbleached or totally chlorine-free process as well as substituting the polyethylene coating for an alternative one made from a renewable resource. In partnership with 
the nonprofit group Greenpeace we located a paper mill in Louisiana that made a food grade unbleached paperboard that met our technical and quality criteria. Since that time, the mill has provided us with packaging for the eco-pint. In addition we have steadily researched the growing industry of renewable resins to replace coatings made with petroleum-based products and have worked with suppliers to help us evaluate the opportunity to use these resins on our pint container. Renewable coatings utilize resins that have the same characteristics as petroleum-based ones yet will break down in the environment under proper conditions.
In 2005 Ben & Jerry’s began a comprehensive evaluation of the virgin kraft cup stock paperboard which is used for the majority of our ice cream packaging. The purpose of the evaluation was to assess this sole source supplier to determine if we could continue to receive a consistent and reliable supply of cupstock. We will evaluate the results of the study in 2006.
Our team also continued evaluating alternative resins to replace polyethylene on the pint container. In 2005 we conducted tests to determine the feasibility of utilizing renewable resins to replace the polyethylene coating — our preliminary results were very favorable.