What is Compostable Food Packaging?
Compostable food packaging is made from plant-based materials that break down more quickly than plastics and other products that are used to make trays, cups and other items. It can be added to a household compost bin or sent to a commercial facility, where it decays into organic matter that can be used to fertilise soil to help when growing plants and vegetables, for example.
You can find a range of compostable food packaging options from Greenpak Supplies, including chip trays, burger trays, pie trays, baguette trays and more.
Compostable Food Packaging Benefits
- It Cuts Landfill
As a nation, we are trying hard to reduce the amount of rubbish that goes to landfill. When you serve food in plastic containers, these just end up adding to the rubbish mountain, taking up space and potentially leaching harmful chemicals into groundwater and gases such as methane and carbon dioxide into the air.
Compostable food packaging breaks down in weeks or months (depending on the specific material and conditions), rather than the centuries it is thought that it will take for plastic to biodegrade.
- It Gives Back to the Earth
In addition to the previous point, not only does compostable packaging break down more quickly, but in doing so it enriches the environment. As opposed to producing detrimental by-products like plastic does, the compostable packaging produces matter that helps plants grow and, therefore produce more food in what some people call ‘the circular economy’.
It reduces the need for artificial products by providing a natural fertilising solution at no additional cost for householders.
- It Captures Carbon
Yes, not only does composting prevent excess carbon from being emitted by providing an alternative to landfill plastics, but it actually captures carbon from the air when used on soil, helping to reduce atmospheric CO2 pollution. Compostable materials work for us in actively helping the environment, rather than fighting against it.
- It Helps Counter Flooding
Keen gardeners might know this already, but adding organic matter like compost to your soil helps to prevent flooding. Composted soil can absorb up to four times the amount of water as normal soil, which can certainly help to keep order in your garden during heavy rainfall, for example.
- It Appeals to Customers
Customers are keen to do their bit for the environment and will be impressed to see that you offer compostable packaging. A survey by Trivium found that 83% of younger customers would pay more for an item if they knew that it came in sustainable packaging. This represents the future of customer attitudes, which shows why now is the time to make sure you are providing products that meet these environmental demands.
When deciding which businesses to use, green credentials go a long way to persuading potential customers to decide one way or another. It paints your brand in a good light and people know that they can buy your products without feeling any guilt about their environmental impact.
How to Dispose of Compostable Packaging?
The main way that your customers will dispose of compostable packaging at the moment will be at home. Many councils provide composting bins for residents to use in their gardens, but you can also buy them too. Into these you can add items such as grass cuttings, vegetable scraps, fruit peel, coffee grounds and compostable packaging.
The items break down in the bin and eventually you are left with a fertiliser to use on your soil. This means that you don’t need to use additional chemicals, which are costly and might prove to be toxic to children or animals.
If you don’t have your own garden, you might have access to a shared compost heap in your local area, and it could be that your council collects compostable material in addition to general waste and recycling.
For businesses who sell food at festivals and events, you might find that the organisers provide an area to leave compostable materials, which then goes on to be commercially composted. Commercial composting companies also sometimes collect organic waste from businesses.
Ready to Buy Compostable Food Packaging?
Search our range of compostable food packaging now to find the perfect items to help you provide customers with a great, environmentally friendly service.
