The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is establishing a simulation packaging testing laboratory (SPTL) which will be the first performance testing lab for transport packaging in the Philippines.
The SPTL is targeted to assist different Philippine industry sectors in the areas of packaging design and engineering, performance testing, and development of standards for transport packaging used in the distribution of goods, and for packaging used in e-delivery services.
“The simulation packaging testing laboratory (SPTL) being established will be at par with other countries,” said Daisy E. Tañafranca, chief of the Packaging Technology Division (PTD), DOST Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI).
She added that the SPTL will help prevent or minimize product damage while in transit, reduce packaging cost by optimizing the design, and comply with regulations in the local and international markets.
Aside from SPTL which will test for the performance of transport packaging in the supply chain, a green packaging laboratory (GPL) is also being established to serve as a venue for R&D and technology innovations in the areas of alternative packaging materials from indigenous and renewable materials and derived from agricultural waste, processes that will reduce energy consumption and solid/liquid waste, material reduction without compromising product quality and consumer safety, recycling, and waste utilization.
The two laboratories will serve as venues for joint collaboration and partnership with different industry sectors, private companies, and academic institutions.
“The SPTL is very useful to the different industry sectors to include agricultural products, food, beverage, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, personal care, furniture/handicraft, delivery service, etc. from micro to multi-nationals,” Tañafranca said.
While the construction of the laboratories is still ongoing, ITID’s PTD provides performance testing for a limited dimension of boxes and in accordance with International Safe Transit Association (ISTA)-testing protocols. Products from large and multinational companies are tested abroad, such as Singapore. The testing fees for performance testing at PTD are on the ITDI website.
The SPTL and GPL are just two of the new state-of-the-art facilities of the Department of Science and Technology that were featured at the “Big 21 in 2021” launch held virtually on September 7.
(Geraldine Bulaon-Ducusin, S&T Media Services) (DOST) – jlo
