In today’s fast-paced world, plastic food packaging has become an essential part of our lives. From carrying food to storing leftovers, plastic packaging is widely used due to its convenience, durability, and affordability. However, with increasing concerns about the negative impact of plastic on the environment and human health, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons of using plastic food packaging.
Plastic food packaging has become a ubiquitous part of our daily lives. We use it to store and transport our food, to keep it fresh and safe from contamination. However, the use of plastic food packaging has also raised concerns about the negative impact it has on the environment and human health. This article will explore the pros and cons of using plastic food packaging and examine alternative options that can help mitigate its negative effects.
One of the primary advantages of plastic food packaging is its durability and strength. Plastic containers can withstand high levels of stress and pressure, making them ideal for use in food storage and transport. Unlike glass or metal containers, plastic is not prone to breakage or shattering, making it a safer and more convenient option.
Plastic food packaging is also lightweight and easy to transport, which is especially beneficial for those who need to carry their food with them. Plastic containers are lighter than their glass or metal counterparts, making them easier to handle and transport. Additionally, plastic packaging can be designed in a variety of shapes and sizes, making it a versatile option for different types of food.
Another advantage of plastic food packaging is its airtight and moisture-resistant properties. Plastic containers can effectively seal in the freshness of food, keeping it free from moisture, air, and other contaminants. This makes plastic packaging an ideal option for perishable food items like fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.
Finally, plastic food packaging is affordable and versatile, making it accessible to a wide range of consumers. Plastic containers can be produced in large quantities, making them a cost-effective option for manufacturers and consumers alike. Additionally, plastic packaging can be designed in a variety of shapes and sizes, making it a versatile option for different types of food.
One of the most significant disadvantages of plastic food packaging is its negative impact on the environment. Plastic is a non-biodegradable material, which means it does not decompose naturally. Plastic waste can take hundreds of years to degrade, causing pollution and harming wildlife. Plastic waste is also a significant contributor to ocean pollution, which can have devastating effects on marine life and ecosystems.
Another concern with plastic food packaging is the potential health risks associated with certain types of plastics. Some plastic containers contain chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, which can leach into food and pose health risks. BPA, for example, is a hormone disruptor that has been linked to a variety of health problems,
As previously mentioned, plastic is a non-biodegradable material, which means it cannot be broken down by natural processes. When plastic waste is not properly disposed of or recycled, it can contribute to pollution and harm the environment. Plastic waste can also release toxic chemicals into the environment, causing harm to wildlife and ecosystems.
While plastic can be recycled, not all types of plastic are recyclable, and the recycling process can be complex and expensive. This means that much of the plastic waste ends up in landfills or incinerated, contributing to environmental pollution and harm.
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< Back To NewsThis week, a grocery store in Amsterdam made headlines for being the first to offer an aisle without plastic packaging. If the thinking behind this offering is “less plastic is better in the grocery store”—then we need to ask: In what way is this really a good thing? And we need to be clear about the problem(s) this move is designed to solve.
Every year in the United States, about 30 to 40 percent of the food we grow goes uneaten, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The longer a food item stays fresh, the greater its chance of being eaten. Studies have shown that cucumbers wrapped in plastic last eleven days longer than unwrapped cucumbers 1; bananas wrapped in plastic last 21 days longer than their unwrapped counterparts 2; and beef wrapped in plastic vacuum packaging with an oxygen barrier film lasts 26 days longer 3.
Countries that package a greater share of food items tend to generate far less food waste than we do 4.
Growing food requires investments of water, land, energy, and fuel. Now consider that we throw away 30 to 40 percent of everything we grow. That means we’re not just wasting food, we’re wasting 30 to 40 percent of all the resources we used to grow that food. Think of a little food packaging as a small investment that helps to protect all of the resources that went into producing that item.
The director of the Industry Council for Research on Packaging and the Environment has said, “A telling fact is that ten times more resources—materials, energy and water—are used to make and distribute food than are used to make the packaging to protect it.” So when we waste a food item, we’re wasting 10 times the resources that were used to make its protective packaging.
Plus food is the single most prevalent material in our landfills. When food decomposes, it produces methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than CO2. Landfills generate 20 percent of all methane emissions, so using plastic packaging to prevent food waste can really help cut our carbon emissions.
It’s true that we can make packaging out of materials other than plastics, namely paper, glass, aluminum and steel. But studies have shown that plastics are often more efficient. Being both strong and lightweight means plastics can ship more product with less packaging material than alternatives. And using less material in the first place results in significant reductions in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste.
A 2016 study by Trucost (Plastics and Sustainability 5) found that replacing plastic with alternatives in packaging and consumer products could raise environmental costs at least fourfold. Another study 6 showed that replacing plastics with alternatives in packaging would increase the amount of packaging generated in the United States by 55 million tons annually, and would increase energy use and our carbon footprint by 82 percent and 130 percent, respectively. Not much of an improvement, right?
YES. Full stop. Used plastics shouldn’t find their way into our rivers and oceans. Yet it’s highly unlikely that the packaging on items purchased in a grocery store, then transported home—where we have access to curbside waste collection (and usually also recycling)—will become marine litter. It just doesn’t add up.
The supermarket chain says it’s using biofilms as an alternative to plastics, and claims they’re compostable. But “compostable” products on the market today don’t readily breakdown in our oceans, and recyclers don’t want them for obvious reasons. In the United States and other Western countries, we’re fortunate to have strong systems for collecting and managing materials after use. We need to work on getting more plastics into our recycling systems and making sure our used plastics are directed toward their next productive use. For consumers, that means placing used bottles, containers, caps and lids in our curbside bins and bringing our used polyethylene bags and wraps to grocery stores. We can also shop for new products made with recycled plastics. And of course, we can choose to bring a reusable bag or bottle with us on the go. These, too, are often made from plastics.
The benefits of plastic packaging might not be making headlines these days, but they are making a positive difference in preserving our food and reducing our environmental footprint.
1 Incpen. “Packaging in Perspective,” 2008.
2 C&EN. “The Cost of Plastic Packaging,” October 2016. Volume 94, Issue 41, pages 32-37.
3 Ibid.
4 Quantifying the Value of Food Packaging as a Strategy to Prevent Food Waste in America, AMERIPEN, Jan. 2018.
5 Trucost. Plastics and Sustainability: A Valuation of Environmental Costs, Benefits and Continuous Improvement, 2016.
6 Franklin Associates. Impact of Plastic Packaging on Life Cycle Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the United States and Canada, 2014.