Packaging Design for the Circular Economy

The Circular Economy is about zero waste, where products are disassembled into their constituent components, either to be recycled or composted.

While considerable attention has focused on the product itself, a product can only be sustainable or circular if the packaging it comes in is also sustainable and circular. This second course in the ‘Sustainable and Circular Product Development' specialization provides an overview of packaging today, and how it is evolving to become more sustainable. Topics include defining sustainable and circular packaging, packaging as a system, design and functionality, conventional and innovative packaging materials, advances in recycling technologies, and rethinking our approach to packaging. This course was developed in collaboration with Siemens Digital Industries Software and is part of the “Design for the Circular Economy” collection. Learners who complete and pass the course can receive an industry-recognized digital badge. The ‘Design for the Circular Economy' microcredential and graduate certificate are developed around the educational goals of providing technical, business, and leadership knowledge and skills that inspire the transformation towards a more circular economy. This includes gaining technical knowledge to apply circular economy principles in product design, minimizing waste and maximizing impact; developing business acumen to implement innovative circular economic models that prioritize sustainability and resilience; and acquiring leadership strategies to communicate effectively and inspire change within an organization. This course can be taken for academic credit as part of CU Boulder's Master of Engineering in Engineering Management (ME-EM) degree offered on the Coursera platform. The ME-EM is designed to help engineers, scientists, and technical professionals move into leadership and management roles in the engineering and technical sectors. With performance-based admissions and no application process, the ME-EM is ideal for individuals with a broad range of undergraduate education and/or professional experience. Learn more about the ME-EM program at https://www.coursera.org/degrees/me-engineering-management-boulder.