UK Coalition Studies Compostable Packaging to Tackle Plastic Waste

Compostable Packaging

(Credit: Pixabay)

by | Sep 12, 2022

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Compostable Packaging

(Credit: Pixabay)

A coalition of industry, infrastructure, and academic associations in the United Kingdom is seeking to advance compostable packaging as another way to tackle sing-use and hard-to-recycle plastics and waste.

The Compostable Coalition UK is launching with 10 members and $1.4 million in funding from the UK Research and Innovation’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge. The coalition will study the feasibility of collecting, sorting, and treating compostable packaging through existing bio-waste collection and treatment programs.

The organization says it is the first project to examine the role of compostable packaging in the UK to transition away from single-use plastics and to meet the goals of the UK Plastic Pact, which aims to produce 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging. As part of its efforts, the group, which says more than 1.3 million metric tons of plastic waste is not being recycled in the UK, will provide information for potential government policy to help move from single-use and hard-to-recycle packaging.

The project will focus on three areas where no quality recycling exists. Those are flexible packaging, which the group says accounts for about a quarter of plastic waste, of which less than 6% is being recycled; small plastic packaging, such as coffee pods, tea bags, and single-use plasticware; and food operations with little to no recycling capabilities.

The collation also says tackling this kind of plastic waste can help reduce food waste, as well, as they are often discarded together. It says compostable plastics can improve the circularity of packaging by being made of renewable sources, lengthening food quality, and are discarded in the same treatment process as food waste.

Plastic waste and sustainable packaging are a growing focus across many industries. A recent report by Planet Tracker found that the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, which includes many top companies, is slow to make progress as the UN has vowed to end plastic pollution.

Demand for post-consumer plastic packaging has also increased, according to a report by Smithers. Industries such as toys, petroleum, and personal care products are all studying improved sustainable packaging.

Customers of online retailer Riverford Organic Farmers will participate in a take-back program as part of the compostable packaging project, while residents of Milton Keynes and consumers at multiple food service sites in London will divert compostable packaging with their food waste into marked bins. Packaging producers TIPA, Futamura, Vegware, and Biome will work to support the removal of hard-to-recycle plastics from the market.

EnVar, the largest composting facility in the country, and commercial recycling company Paper Round/Recorra are supporting the project, along with trade associations REA and RECOUP. Hubbub and the University of Sheffield will research consumer behavior in terms of compostable packaging.

For its part, EnVar says it currently processes approximately 350,000 metric tons of organic waste into compost. The company says it has successfully processed compostable packaging with its existing food waste operations.

The coalition says bio-waste partners will also analyze if compostable plastic can be sorted and processed to create quality compost that can be used to support soil health. The coalition says the study will take place over two years.

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