Thanks for your comment. Many consumers wonder why bioplastics can’t be used for everything and be a replacement for all other types of plastic. That is not currently possible. We need a range of different kinds of plastics for all of the different things we ask them to do for us. Some are better for certain applications than others. For example, PET has barrier properties that are good for the retention of pressurized carbon dioxide (CO2) — the fizz and bubbles of carbonated beverages. We are not aware of any bioplastics on the market that can retain CO2.

Plastic packaging no doubt keeps the food stuff safe for longer time but then it should be biodegradable kind of plastic for using it.

Thanks
Abraham

Thank you for your comments. For decades, our industry has been a leader in finding innovative solutions to a variety of societal problems. Currently, overall sustainability and developing products with an enhanced environmental profile are targets squarely in our crosshairs. We agree that we absolutely must drive waste from the packaging value chain. Frankly, initiatives to cut plastic waste not only yield improved sustainability but are also cost-effective for companies. The packaging industry has been focused on reducing the amount of packaging necessary for a long time. But certainly industry needs to do more. Innovative solutions that augment physical recycling – including waste-to-energy and biobased/biodegradable materials — are becoming more prevalent.

Food packaging is carefully designed to be effective in preventing food spoilage and contamination while having limited transfer of its component substances to the food it contacts, and it is subject to an extensive premarket approval process at FDA that considers chemistry, toxicology, environmental impact and dietary exposure data as part of a detailed risk assessment. Preventing food spoilage is critical to the environment — food waste has 10 times the environmental impact of packaging waste (and that’s before considering the impact of methane from rotting food).

Beth, we appreciated your recent Earth Day blog post. Particularly when you wrote, “We are all suffering because of the misuse of the materials.” We couldn’t agree more.

While plastics have many wonderful uses, many plastics contain flame retardants and other chemicals such as Phthalates, BPA, lead, antimicrobials and other harmful chemicals that can leach into foods, beverages and our bodies….

The game of smoke and mirrors is over. The Greenwashing is over.

Single use disposables are the biggest form of litter polluting the planet and are almost completely unnecessary. Bringing our own reusable bags, bottles, and containers with us helps cut this unnecessary source of pollution, as do bans and fees on disposable bags and other containers.

Plastic food containers, whether disposable or durable, can be hazardous to our health. We all know that plastics can leach the chemicals added to them, especially when subject to heat and rough handling. But how many of us actually know what those chemicals are? Phthalates, BPA, lead, antimicrobials are just some of the chemicals that can leach from certain plastics. But as you know, there are a whole host of chemicals added to affect plastic’s qualities, and manufacturers are not required to disclose any of them.

U.S. law requires labeling of all ingredients on food products. Unfortunately, the chemicals that can leach from the plastic containers are not included in those ingredient lists. So how can consumers truly make informed decisions? Are your members willing to disclose the “recipes” for their products, or will they forever hide behind claims of proprietary information?

It’s fine to be proud of your contributions to sustainability, but how about also addressing the ways in which plastics play a part in polluting the planet?

Sincerely,
Beth Terry
http://fakeplasticfish.com

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