--- title: "Sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging | H&K Müller" url: "https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/sustainable-packaging/" description: "What is sustainable packaging? How is environmentally friendly packaging produced? What variants and materials are there? H&K Müller informs!" author: "H&K Müller GmbH & Co. KG" date: 2022-05-17 modified: 2024-07-01 lastUpdated: 2024-07-01 --- # Sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging | H&K Müller 1. [Home](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/) 2. Company 3. Sustainable Packaging ![manufacturer of sustainable plastic packaging](https://www.hk-mueller.de/fileadmin/_processed_/4/7/csm_nachhaltige_und_umweltfreundliche_verpackungen_1838b4b9d7.png "sustainable packaging material ") H&K Müller is a manufacturer of sustainable packaging, jars and containers made of plastic material SUSTAINABLE AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PACKAGING ================================================== WHAT MAKES PACKAGING SUSTAINABLE? **Sustainable packaging** is packaging that is made from renewable and/or easily recyclable raw materials. In addition to the materials used, however, the **sustainability** aspect also depends heavily on the level of the carbon footprint. In order to keep the CO2 footprint of environmentally friendly packaging as low as possible, it is necessary to act in a resource-saving manner throughout the entire production process and to keep supply chains as short as possible. A possible secondary use and the recyclability of the packaging by type also have a great influence on the sustainability rating of the respective packaging material. [Various materials available](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/what-we-do/#c2942 "Various materials available") [Organic plastics available](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/company/recycled-and-organic-plastics/#c3113 "Organic plastics available") [Recycled plastics available](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/company/recycled-and-organic-plastics/#c3122 "Recycled plastics available") [Various colours available](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/what-we-do/#c2942 "Various colours available") ![Sustainable packaging manufacturer H&K Müller](https://www.hk-mueller.de/fileadmin/_processed_/b/c/csm_csm_nachhaltige_verpackungen_hersteller_530e6600e2_4e8ab1680f.jpg "environmental packaging supplier and manufacturer") H&K Müller is a sustainable and environmentally friendly manufacturer of plastic injection molding and injection-molded plastic packaging. H&K Müller is a manufacturer of sustainable packaging made of plastic ------------------------------------------------------------------------- H&K MÜLLER IS A MANUFACTURER OF SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING MADE OF PLASTIC PURE PLASTIC JARS AND CONTAINERS WITH A SECOND USE AND VERY GOOD RECYCLABILITY H&K Müller is an injection moulding manufacturer specialising in the development, production and decoration of sustainable plastic packaging, jars and containers. During the new construction of the company location, the focus was on the topics of "environmental protection" and "resource conservation". Thus, all suitable roof surfaces on an area of 2800 m² were equipped with photovoltaic modules with an output of over 420 kWp. This enables approx. 15 % of H&K Müller's total electricity requirements to be covered. Thanks to modern heat recovery, the entire production facility is heated with waste heat from production. In addition, particularly efficient and energy-saving all-electric injection moulding machines are used in injection moulding production. All production facilities are continuously monitored by an energy monitoring system using measuring points. With the DIN EN ISO 50001 energy management certification, H&K Müller guarantees a permanent and consistent review of the energy processes and, due to these measures, achieves an average emission saving of 200.6 t CO2 per year. Sustainability from conception to logistics ------------------------------------------- RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FUTURE H&K Müller's sustainable packaging and plastic jars meet the highest requirements in terms of UV protection, migration and impermeability and are mainly used for the packaging, storage and transport of products and media that have a long storage or retention time at the respective end user. As early as the packaging development stage, care is taken to ensure that only as much raw material is used as is necessary for the respective purpose of the packaging. Through continuous research and further development of injection moulding technology, it is now possible to realise the thinnest wall thicknesses with consistently high packaging properties. The injection moulding tools required for plastic injection moulding are manufactured entirely at H&K Müller in Engelskirchen, which ensures that the tools have a long service life. H&K Müller's plastic containers and packaging are all manufactured in the DIN EN ISO 22000 food safety certified production facility in Engelskirchen. Environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging is produced from biologically based as well as biodegradable materials and recycled plastics. Upon customer request, almost all containers and packaging can be decorated with an individual screen print. This variant of packaging finishing is significantly more environmentally friendly than labelling, as the printing ink is easier to process in the recycling process than a multi-coated paper or film label. Thanks to the central location of H&K Müller's production facility, which is situated directly on Autobahn 4 near Cologne, customers throughout Germany can be supplied flexibly by means of a short supply chain. Environmentally friendly packaging made from bioplastics -------------------------------------------------------- BIOLOGICALLY BASED AND DEGRADABLE ![manufacturer of environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging](https://www.hk-mueller.de/fileadmin/_processed_/a/1/csm_nachhaltiger_und_ressourcenschonender_kunststoffspritzguss_hersteller_cb00155fc9.jpg "Sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging") H&K Müller is supplier and manufacturer of environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging made of plastic ### Biologically based plastic material Environmentally friendly packaging can be made from biologically based plastics, among other things. The raw material for the production of these packaging materials is obtained from renewable raw materials, such as sugar cane or wood. Here, the renewable raw materials are usually not cultivated with the aim of producing bioplastics. A large part of the bio-based raw material is obtained from by-products or waste products of other production processes, such as tall oil from pulp production. The sustainability aspect of bio-based materials lies in a closed C02 cycle of the primary products and the use of production waste from food and paper production. Packaging made from bio-based plastics is approved for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries and is fully recyclable, but not biodegradable. ### Biodegradable plastic material Sustainable packaging made of biodegradable plastic is produced from renewable raw materials such as wood, hemp, grass or lactose. Biodegradable plastics offer a closed CO2 cycle and are approved for use in primary packaging in the cosmetics, food and pharmaceutical industries. In order to decompose, environmentally friendly packaging made from biodegradable raw materials requires a certain combination of temperature, humidity and time parameters. These conditions can only be achieved in specially designed composting plants, but not in nature. ![manufacturer of wod based sustainable packaging](https://www.hk-mueller.de/fileadmin/_processed_/9/7/csm_csm_dose_mit_schraubdeckel_aus_biokunststoff_hersteller_h_k_mueller_9aba39d40d_894db23509.png "sustainable wood based packaging") H&K Müller is a manufacturer of sustainable wood based packaging Wood-based plastic packaging [Discover](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/products/screw-top-containers/ "Wood-based plastic packaging") ![packaging from sugar cane based plsatic](https://www.hk-mueller.de/fileadmin/_processed_/1/1/csm_csm_schraubdeckeldosen_aus_bio-kunststoff_vom_hersteller_h_k_mueller_04c606b5c0_6a35647dc7.png "manufacturer of environmentally friendly packaging") H&K Müller is manufacturer of sugar cane based sustainable packaging Plastic jar from sugar cane [Discover](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/products/screw-top-containers/ "Plastic jar from sugar cane") ![gras based plsatic packaging](https://www.hk-mueller.de/fileadmin/_processed_/5/e/csm_csm_kunststoffdose_aus_biologisch_abbaubarem_biokunststoff_vom_hersteller_h_k_mueller_7c9abcf399_6380d7a671.png "sustainable packaging and jars from gras based plastic") H&K Müller is manufaturer of sustainable and environmental friendly packaging Elephant grass screw top container [Discover](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/products/screw-top-containers/ "Elephant grass screw top container") ![sustainable hemp based plsatic packaging](https://www.hk-mueller.de/fileadmin/_processed_/a/1/csm_csm_schraubdeckeldose_kunststoffverpackung_aus_biologisch_basiertem_biokunststoff_804027e067_a2dae9cd4e.png "sustainable hemp based packaging from plastic") H&K Müller is manufacturer of hemp based plsatic packaging Cosmetic packaging from hemp [Discover](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/products/screw-top-containers/ "Cosmetic packaging from hemp") Sustainable packaging made from recycled plastic ------------------------------------------------ CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN THE PACKAGING INDUSTRY ![sustainable packaging from recycled plastics](https://www.hk-mueller.de/fileadmin/_processed_/e/d/csm_pre-consumer_post-consumer_rezyklat_verpackungen_hersteller_167d8e57a3.jpg "recycled pre and post consumer plastics for injection molding") H&K Müller offers a wide range of plastic packaging, plastic jars and injection molded parts from pre and post consumer plastic materials ### Packaging made from pre-consumer recyclates Plastic waste from industrial production Packaging made of recycled pre-consumer recyclates are made from industrial waste. This is waste that accumulates in manufacturing companies during production processes in the form of start-up goods, sprues or rejects. Pre-consumer recyclates are therefore usually produced by type and in large quantities, which can be regranulated and reprocessed without great sorting and cleaning effort. Due to the strict legal regulations EC 10/2011 and EC 1935/2004, pre-consumer recyclates are not yet approved for use in primary packaging for food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. ### Packaging made from post-consumer recyclates Packaging made from "post consumer recyclates" are produced from waste from end consumers, i.e. the yellow bin or the yellow bag. In sorting plants, the waste is sorted and cleaned according to the individual plastic types (PP, PE, PS, PET). The waste is cleaned either by means of washing processes or thermal-chemical pyrolysis. Primary packaging materials made from washed post-consumer recyclates are also not permitted for use in the pharmaceutical, food and a large part of the cosmetics industry. "Post consumer recyclates can also be obtained by means of thermal-chemical pyrolysis, which converts the waste back into the chemical feedstock used in the refining of plastics. These recyclates are also approved for use in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic packaging. ![manufactuerer of screw top containers made of recycled post consumer plati material](https://www.hk-mueller.de/fileadmin/_processed_/2/9/csm_csm_kunststoffodosen_rezyklat_recycling_kunststoff_3150215d96_01_d6cfe549a0.png "Screw top container made of post consumer recyclates") H&K Müller offers a wide range of screw top containers made of post consumer plastic materials and recyclates Diffusion proof screw top container made of pre consumer recyclates [Discover](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/products/thick-walled-and-diffusion-proof-screw-top-containers/ "Diffusion proof screw top container made of pre consumer recyclates") ![manufacturer of screw top jars made from recycled post consumer plastic material](https://www.hk-mueller.de/fileadmin/_processed_/a/7/csm_csm_schraubdosen-aus-post-consumer-rezyklat_c09f359d6e_9c38f822ba.png "Screw top jars made of post consumer recyclate") H&K Müller is manufacturer of screw top jars and offers a wide range of recycled plastic materials and recyclates Screw top jars made of post consumer recyclate [Discover](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/products/screw-top-containers/ "Screw top jars made of post consumer recyclate") ![injecton moulded part made of recycled pre consumer plastics](https://www.hk-mueller.de/fileadmin/_processed_/b/9/csm_csm_kunststoff-spritzgussteil-aus-rezyklat_19ca74bcf0_33fa058ab5.png "Injection moulded part made of pre consumer recyclate") H&K Müller is manufacturer of injection moulded parts made of pre and post consumer recyclates Injection moulded part made of pre consumer recyclate [Discover](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/products/technical-plastic-injection-moulded-parts/ "Injection moulded part made of pre consumer recyclate") ![diffusion proof screw top containers from pre consumer plastic material](https://www.hk-mueller.de/fileadmin/_processed_/1/b/csm_csm_diffusionsfeste_dickwandige_kunststoffdosen_hersteller_fabfbf8aae_9e1b19d2ab.png "Diffusion proof screw top container made of pre consumer recyclates") H&K Müller is manufacturer of Diffusion proof screw top container made of pre consumer recyclates Screw top container made of post consumer recyclates [Discover](https://www.hk-mueller.de/en/products/screw-top-containers/ "Screw top container made of post consumer recyclates") Contact form ------------ CONTACT H&K MÜLLER