As Americans increase their demand for dining out, to-go orders, food delivery, and grab-and-go prepared foods, the availability of environmentally friendly foodservice packaging becomes increasingly important.
The Foodservice Packaging Institute estimates that roughly half of all food spending in the US is through restaurants and takeout ordering. Considering the sheer amount of prepared meals that are picked up and then consumed elsewhere, deeper considerations for foodservice packaging and the environment are a must.
In recent decades, environmental impacts have been at the forefront for US and global consumer decision-making. A 2020 consumer survey by McKinsey revealed that 55% of consumers were very or extremely concerned about how product packaging impacts the environment. When it comes to dining out and meals to go, consumer decisions largely rest on the sustainability of packaging as well as its recyclability, biodegradability, and compostability.
Why considering foodservice packaging and the environment is important
In 2018, the EPA estimated that 30.5 million tons of containers and packaging were sent to landfills and another 7.4 million tons were combusted. They contributed to 20.9% of total landfilling and 21.5% of total combusted waste materials.
Plastics, at 12%, continue to be a large component of landfill waste, second only to food itself!
But plastics don’t always end up in the landfill. Too often, plastics are discarded out in the open environment where they end up in the oceans, streams, sewers, and land. Besides the damage that toxins in plastics can cause to the environment as they very slowly break down over time, plastics also cause harm to aquatic life and land animals and even create environments that can harbor human diseases, such as malaria.
Strategies to positively impact foodservice packaging and the environment
The ability to reduce or even eliminate certain types of waste in landfills can be achievable if a number of strategies are taken:
- Recycle more plastics
- Eliminate the use of certain materials in foodservice packaging (some locations have ordinances outlawing the use of plastic straws or cups and lids, for example)
- Replace plastics with alternative sustainable materials that are recyclable or biodegradable
- Continue to innovate the ability to manufacture, recycle and biodegrade plastics successfully
Innovations in foodservice packaging have largely focused on alternatives to plastics. Other solutions have included the use of renewable resources which are also biodegradable or compostable.
Alternative foodservice packaging
The focus on replacing plastics with sustainable materials that can be recycled or can decompose quickly without harming the environment, has resulted in many foodservice packaging innovations.
Innovations include sustainable packaging that uses renewable, plant-based materials with a chemical-free manufacturing process, and recycling previously used materials, some of which are fully biodegradable.
Sustainable foodservice packaging and the environment
Sustainable packaging uses renewable materials that would otherwise go to waste and be disposed of. Examples are cornstarch made from corn processing and bagasse, which is made from the manufacturing waste of sugarcane processing.
Both materials are 100% plant-based and their manufacturing processes to turn them into foodservice packaging is devoid of chemicals and toxins that are harmful to humans and the environment.
Bagasse and cornstarch are both 100% biodegradable, compostable, and carbon neutral making them leaders when it comes to considering foodservice packaging and the environment.
Cornstarch, the most plastic-like of the alternative sustainable foodservice packaging options, is used to make food trays, clamshell containers, and plates.
Bagasse is used to make shopping bags and totes, clamshell containers, bowls, plates, and meat and produce trays.
Learn more about the benefits of cornstarch and bagasse foodservice packaging and the environment.
Biodegradable and compostable foodservice packaging and the environment
Materials that are biodegradable and compostable are made from natural materials that don’t include any toxins or other chemicals harmful to the environment. Biodegradable foodservice packaging is able to break down over time in landfills as microorganisms consume the material.
Compostable foodservice packaging is also biodegradable but can be composted either commercially or, in some cases, at a home compost. Composting turns the materials into rich vegetative matter that can then be used as fertilizer when mixed with soil.
Our guide on biodegradable vs. compostable packaging goes deeper into the differences between the two.
Recycled foodservice packaging and the environment
Some of the most environmentally-friendly foodservice packaging options are those made from molded fiber. Molded fiber (also known as MFP) is made from post-consumer waste products such as paper and other natural fibers.
Molded fiber is recyclable, incinerator friendly, compostable, and biodegradable. Hence the extreme environmentally friendly classification!
Molded fiber is used to make carry-out food containers, plates, bowls, cups, egg cartons, and food trays.
Molded fiber is becoming a takeout favorite due to its sturdiness, ability to prevent leak seepage, and can even withstand freezer and microwave temperatures.
Learn more about the benefits of molded fiber.
Reducing the impact of foodservice packaging and the environment
By transitioning from non-sustainable foodservice packaging that use materials, including toxins, to packaging manufactured from renewable resources that are recyclable, biodegradable and compostable, both humans and the environment benefit.
Eliminating toxin seep from plastic bottles and containers into our food and water is better for our health as well as the health of the plants, sealife, and animals in our environment
Fortunately, there are many innovative options when it comes to foodservice packaging that accommodate environmental friendliness.
Contact Servous for Environmentally Friendly Foodservice Packaging
Servous remains at the forefront of trends in foodservice packaging and the environment. We’re specialists in wholesale packaging including sustainable, biodegradable, renewable and compostable options for the discerning business and their customers.
Our experts are here to help you determine the right packaging to fit your needs and your budget as well as can provide any customization or branding that you require.
Reach out today to see how Servous can provide the best foodservice packaging materials for your restaurant, QSR, deli, catering business, or grocery counter!
