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What is Sustainable Food Packaging
Packaging is really important when making food. Sustainable food packaging means using packaging that is better for the environment when storing and transporting food.
New packaging that is good for the environment helps prevent food from being wasted or spoiled due to quality or safety issues like germs and toxic chemicals in the food.
It should also talk about dealing with plastic garbage, and saving oil and food resources.
Nowadays, businesses follow sustainable practices as a regular thing.
The phrase ‘carbon neutral’ is also common and many companies aim to achieve it.
This means not releasing any extra carbon dioxide in the air, usually by doing things to balance out the emissions.
Positive Planet UK can help businesses understand their carbon footprint and provide guidance on how to lower it.
Why is Sustainable Food Packaging Important?
Businesses want to tell people that they care about climate change, just like many people do.
Approximately 100 million tons of food is thrown away each year in the EU.
This causes big problems for the environment.
A lot of fresh food goes bad quickly, which causes a big problem with wasting it.
“Sometimes people get confused about food labels and throw away food that is still good to eat.
This happens so often that 20% of the food that is thrown away could have been eaten.”
Using sustainable packaging for food is important for promoting environmentally friendly eating habits.
Many people think that using environmentally friendly packaging means you will have lower quality, but actually sustainable food packaging is often stronger and lasts longer.
Using packaging made from oil can hurt the environment and be bad for people’s health.
The text means that even though we can’t completely stop using these plastics.
We can try to use food packaging that is better for the environment and can be recycled or broken down so that it won’t harm the environment or our health.
Differences Between Biodegradable, Compostable and Recyclable Food Packaging
Biodegradable food packaging
This means that the packaging will break apart faster.
Plastics that can naturally break into very tiny pieces are called biodegradable plastics.
These tiny pieces are called micro plastics.
Tiny pieces of plastic called micro plastics can harm the ocean. Even though they are meant to be an eco-friendly option to regular plastic.
If something is biodegradable, it means that it can decay and become a part of the earth again with the help of bacteria, fungi, or small living things.
These things should break down without making poisonous stuff, but sometimes they do.
When a natural product (made from plants) disappears into the ground, it doesn’t leave any bad things behind. It turns into things that are already in the earth.
Sometimes, materials that are said to be able to decay without harming the environment can actually end up causing harm.
This can make the soil dirty and harmful by adding bad things like chemicals.
The best materials that can break down easily and quickly without taking many years are known as biodegradable materials.
They should not leave anything bad behind and use less space in the landfill.
Some things that say they are biodegradable might not actually be able to break down.
If you have an eco-friendly business, you need to make sure everything is labeled correctly and you know how to make sure the things you’re using break down in a safe and effective way.
Biodegradable items include:
- Food scraps.
- Wood that has not been treated with chemicals to prevent rotting and insects.
- Paper.
- Some metal, although this may take years.
Compostable Food Packaging
This means that the wrapping can be separated into its original parts and put in the bin with food scraps. When it turns into compost, it won’t hurt the environment.
Compostable packaging cannot hold air out as well as plastic, which means it may not be good for keeping products fresh if a vacuum seal is needed.
Some things that can be turned into compost can only be composted using machines that not many places have.
Compostable food packaging is a type of packaging that is better for the environment than plastic.
It is made, thrown away, and breaks down in a way that is more responsible.
This is something that is made from old stuff and plants. When you throw it away in the right way, it will become dirt again without hurting the environment.
Recyclable Food Packaging
This wrapping can be recycled and reused. Some materials like paper, glass, metal, and certain kinds of plastic can be recycled.
The things used to wrap things should have a sign to let people know if you can use them again.
Many types of packaging can be recycled, but you need to separate and organize them correctly. This means that the package can be reused because it’s made of recyclable materials.
If you want to know what things can be recycled and how to do it, check out the recycling facts page on recyclingbins.co.uk.
For more information about safe and recyclable food packaging, please contact [email protected]
Sustainable Food Packaging Options
Examples of Sustainable Food Packaging Options Are:
- Dissolvable or biodegradable packaging.
- Paper bubble wrap alternative which can be recycled after use.
- Biodegradable air pillows made from recycled plastic.
- Hybrid meal delivery boxes.
- Containers made from recycled food waste transformed into paper-like substances.
- Biodegradable takeout containers.
- Washable fruit cups.
- Glass confection jars.
- Edible bowls.
- Cornstarch can be used to make plates, trays and portion-sized boxes. These can be a good alternative to polystyrene.
Types of Food Packaging Materials
There are different materials that can be used to package food without causing harm.
These include:
Paper and cardboard packaging is cheap and easy to carry because it’s not heavy.
It can be recycled and turned into compost easily.
The paper packaging is not strong and can get damaged easily when it gets wet or damp.
Glass is a good material for storing food for a long time because it can resist moisture and heat.
Food won’t change glass and glass is see-through so people can look at the food inside.
The glass can be made a different color to keep the light from changing the food or drink inside. Glass can be recycled a lot and it’s considered a good material for the environment.
Metal packaging is made of materials like stainless steel, tinplate, and aluminium.
The packaging is strong, can handle heat, and can be recycled easily.
Acidic foods in metal cans can cause corrosion and make the food go bad faster.
Food grade plastic is a good type of plastic for keeping food safe and fresh.
It’s one of the best options for making food packaging.
This material is good at keeping harmful things away from the food, making it last longer, and staying fresh without getting ruined.
This helps to decrease the amount of food that ends up in the trash.
Certain plastics that can be used for food are able to be recycled. These include polyethylene terephthalate, high density polyethylene, and polypropylene.
I think you’ve already known a lot of things about food packaging from this article. But if you want to design and have your own brand of food packaging, please contact [email protected]
