What could better describe the annoyance and frustration most of us have experienced, let alone the potential for physical injury from a variety of sealed containers. Many refer to this as “wrap rage”. The Consumer Product Safety Commission in a 2004 report attributed thousands of emergency room visits to opening an electronics item, or even something as mundane as a toothbrush.

Clamshell Packaging

It’s likely that most manufactures, shippers, wholesalers and retailers, from the big box stores, local chains or to a mom and pop retail store are pleased with the clear hard plastic, nicknamed ‘clamshell’, containers. These are used to encase a variety of products and do so safely and accurately. Shoplifting is reduced, taking physical inventory is simplified, and checking out is easier and faster. But woe to the consumer unless he/she uses a really good scissors.

Blister Packs

These are also used on various items; examples are some toys as well as small hearing aid batteries but they’re primarily intended for pharmaceutical products. They provide tamper proof protection s well as a seal against humidity damage. Opening them can be a difficult, without even considering the amount of waste they generate. It requires opening a separate package each time you want a pill!

Polystyrene or Foam ‘Peanuts’

And then there are your purchases that are delivered surrounded by small pieces of styrofoam, referred to as ‘peanuts’. How often have you tried to dispose of them and found that many of these white almost weightless and otherwise useless items are suddenly scattered hither and yon?

Bubble Wrap

This material, usually formed with polystyrene that has been air filled, has the virtue of cushioning fragile items from shipping damage. Unlike the others mentioned, it’s not particularly difficult to open or become windblown, but like all this material their destination is likely a landfill.

What Can be Done

Is there a solution? Unless producers of these modern wrappings hear a large groundswell of opposition from a fed-up public, it’s unlikely. In our highly industrialized and “efficiency first” society, their functions outweigh consumer convenience or the landfill problem. The best but hardly ideal solution is to conscientiously recycle. Most of the materials are recyclable, but 1) too few of us are still not determined recyclers, and even for those that are 2) recycling uses resources. Labor, power, transportation and other costs are incurred. That’s why one should first reduce, if possible reuse and finally recycle, but only as a last resort.

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