Packaging waste is slowly becoming one of the biggest threats to our environment. With hygiene and easy distribution being key when it comes to food packaging, we end up getting rid of tonnes of containers, cartons, jars, and tins each year, filling landfill sites with plastic, which will all take years to decompose back into the earth. Being aware of the negative effects some food packaging can have on our planet is key when choosing which material is best to use. But it’s not all doom and gloom! With a wide range of Eco-friendly food packaging available, you can help contribute to a greener, more sustainable way of living when packaging your products.
Using less plastic is the best place to start when thinking about your packaging being environmentally friendly. For example, supermarkets introducing a charge on plastic carrier bags to reduce the number people use and providing paper bags as an alternative. This is because plastic is not bio-degradable and often takes years for it to decompose. It can influence animals and their habitats and can also cause pollution in our oceans, especially when it’s not disposed of correctly. There are many different packaging solutions you can look at when it comes to getting rid of plastic, let’s explore alternatives:
Paper packaging
Paper is a renewable source, harvested from trees which are then replanted. Paper can be used when packaging food as it is a lot stronger and more durable than it looks. Rather than packaging your products with plastic, you could give paper bags a go for example, or biodegradable cardboard boxes. As well as being strong, they are also unlikely to harm animals and wildlife if they don’t quite make it to the bin! If you’re conscious of your carbon footprint, paper and cardboard packaging could be the way to go.
Bio-degradable and compostable packaging
By using biodegradable or compostable material in your food packaging, you can help to make sure any packets or waste that might end up being discarded, can break themselves down in time and back into the earth. Typically, with biodegradable products, you can be sure that they won’t end up heaped in a landfill site for years to come and will even benefit the soil itself.
Reusable glass packaging
Glass is a packaging material that has been used for many years. Whether it’s used as a bottle or a jar, glass can keep whatever you decide to store in it fresh and safe from any kind of contamination. Glass bottles and jars are reusable. You could re-use a jam jar as a handy place to store your oats for breakfast, or re-fill a milk bottle for example. Glass bottles and containers can give a feeling of luxury with a product, feeling more premium than your standard plastic bottle or container. Glass is fully recyclable and can be washed or sterilised. If you’re big on recycling and reusability, glass packaging could be for you.
