It is fashionable to discuss ‘green’ products in the packaging market but it is unclear whether the hype will turn into reality. Terms like compostable, biodegradable and sustainability sound positive in an industry trying to shrug off negative publicity on green issues.
However, the reality of the true impact of these products and the demand for them is unclear. Good ethical packaging will always play a part in the food industry and it is our responsibility to ensure our actions minimise any environmental impact. For example, LINPAC Packaging will continue to invest in improving the energy efficiency of its operations. Last year LINPAC reduced its energy use by 30%.
Biopackaging has yet to prove itself in the marketplace. While it seems to tick all of the right boxes environmentally, there is a flipside in its production. The raw materials which go into creating biopackaging can come from unsustainable farming. Even when it decays, a greenhouse gas called methane is produced; this is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
It may be possible to harness the energy held in biopackaging through incineration, but the facilities to deal with waste on a large scale do not exist yet. It is the same story with compostable materials, which need industrial processing to convert them back into organic materials efficiently. Otherwise, they will find their way back into landfill where the conditions are not ideal for the material to decompose.
LINPAC Packaging has been trialing bio-plastic packaging for the past two years but the added cost of the new materials is still putting customers off. Even the premium market segment does not currently feel able to support the higher prices.
For LINPAC Packaging, lightweighting has been a key strategy, and is an area that will continue to be developed.
Recently the marketplace has seen an increase in packaging with a recycled content. Whilst there are still concerns over recycled content levels from some people within the industry, this sector will continue to grow strongly as buyers gain confidence in the new packaging material.
Whilst a packaging product may be able to help a greener environment in one area, its benefits may be offset elsewhere. It is too early to say whether there will be any significant shift to the latest alternative materials. Unit costs will have to come down before biodegradable and compostable products are seen as direct alternatives to traditional forms of packaging and there is yet to be any significant demand for these new materials. In the meantime, LINPAC Packaging will continue to look at how it can provide packaging responsibly and with minimum impact on the environment.
Food service summary
LINPAC Packaging has been a partner to the fast food and catering markets for more than 20 years and specialises in packaging that perfectly presents, preserves and protects food.
LINPAC Packaging’s product range features catering trays, LINdis® disposable tableware, HOTpac® portion controlled boxes and trays, cake, gateaux and salad boxes, and fast food packaging – all specifically tailored to meet the growing needs of the food service industry.