Plastic packaging: while quick, easy, affordable and manageable to work with has been damaging for marine and land wildlife due to littering. Plastic used as packaging doesn’t have a long history and started as recently as 1958. With this young invention, irresponsibility with production and over-consumption has generated tonnes of plastic that eventually ended up as the aforementioned pollution into wildlife. One of the forms of packaging littering is something that not many people notice until it’s too late and that is the corner pieces that tear off from opening snack packaging. It’s lightweight and easily floats off even if someone throws it away responsibly. What are the most effective preventative design measures we can implement in packaging that fosters a behaviour and production shift towards reducing litter?

The topic of pollution from littering has been a target of interest for me because of how it affects my love for nature. It’s no secret that nature is beneficial for humans and their health; however, we damage it with pollution. One of the polluting factors I wanted to tackle was littering. Food packaging is one of the highest forms of littering next to cigarettes. As consumers we should be able to enjoy nature, feed ourselves, and not feel ashamed about the mistakes of human error and approach environmental solutions from a preventative perspective instead of a reactive one.

The project’s research began with several academic papers regarding plastic consumption in the food industry, behaviour involving plastic-based products, etc. Further research was done through interviewing and visiting the Museum of Design in Plastics at Bournemouth, United Kingdom and understanding the history of packaging at the Museum of Brands in London. Packaging redesigns began with sketching iterations then testing them with baking paper and double sided tape. Second drafts were done with a plastic welding machine and PE / PA. Collaboration was done with Johannes Daae of Grønt Punkt Norge, research interview with Louise Dennis of MoDiP, consultancy from Kasper Jakobsen of Goods, and materials and equipment provided by Nils Seiersten. Supervision by Torgrim Eggen.