There is little doubt that Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a huge focus in the aviation industry in an attempt to reduce the environmental impact of the crucial services we deliver, keeping global trade moving.
SAFs are reported to offer around 70 percent life cycle carbon savings when compared to fossil-based jet fuel, so they cannot be ignored.
However, as I look at the savings, I have one huge concern – time.
I can’t help but balance these savings out against the true enormity of the task and the current lack of SAF availability as the ability to manufacture this scales up in the years ahead.
While we are waiting for this transition to materialise in meaningful volume, can airlines, and those that are using the airlines for the movement of precious air cargo, be doing more to reduce their carbon impact using innovations in other areas of the supply chain?
Are we really taking a deep enough look into other areas to cut CO2 or maximise the space available in air cargo, using innovations that have materialised as we’ve emerged from the veil of Covid-19?
As an individual with a strong background in the packaging sector for pharmaceuticals and perishables and in my role on the board of the Cool Chain Association, I am seeing more and more options come onto the market that can help maximise the way in which the airfreight mode is used, with minimal impact to operations and some very tangible sustainability outcomes.
The AeroTHERM ULDs from AEROTUF eradicate the operational need for single-use ancillary items to ship perishable goods. How does this translate? A modest rollout of 50 of these containers as part of an airline’s perishable product offering removes the need for single-use thermal blankets.
This can cut around 39,000 kilogrammes of CO2 from the manufacture of these blankets being emitted per year. Need a more pictorial example of this saving for your mind’s eye? This equates to preventing the equivalent of around 162,000 plastic soda bottles from going to landfill.
In another example, we are now seeing pharmaceutical companies and their supporting 3PL networks use 100 percent paper-based Pallet Porters, these devices from the hugely innovative Second Level Solutions team enable the double stacking of delicate healthcare products in the upper deck, ensuring that every cubic centimetre of available space on a PMC is used to maximum effect. After use, these devices can be reused or simply recycled as part of a paper or cardboard curbside recycling programme.
Another great innovation is in what many term an “old enemy” in the emissions space: polystyrene or EPS. Despite being one of the most widely recycled materials globally, EPS continues to get bad press from many. Sonoco ThermoSafe, one of the world’s leading providers of temperature-controlled packaging for the movement of healthcare products, has developed and launched a material known as BioEPS. While manufactured in the same way as regular EPS, BioEPS is formulated so that it biodegrades over 90 percent after four years without releasing microplastic into the environment, significantly cutting down the end-of-life / landfill impact of this cost-effective and efficient material.
All of these examples show that there are options out there to make changes now, we need to make sure we are all asking questions of our suppliers based on what they can do for the planet, our sustainability goals and our bottom line. Take a moment and ask them, you could make improvements right away.
The Cool Chain Association (CCA) is a non-profit organisation bringing together all parts of the temperature-sensitive supply chain to create an impact with visible and measurable results both for companies and for society.
Our aim is to reduce wastage and improve the quality, efficiency, and value of the temperature-sensitive supply chain by facilitating and enabling vertical and horizontal collaboration, education, and innovation amongst members and stakeholders.
