Alliance for Sustainable Packaging for Foods says EU research neglects food safety, waste
The Alliance for Sustainable Packaging for Foods says while it applauds the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre’s use of science and data in its life-cycle analysis of reusable and single-use packaging, the center's study omits considerations of food loss and waste.
“Publication after publication highlights the fact that studies of the environmental impact of packaging often overlook the environmental footprint of food that is lost or wasted due to inadequate packaging,” the alliance said in a news release. “In fact, the totality of the environmental footprint of lost or wasted food due to inadequate packaging can be greater than the impact of packaging itself.”
ASPF offered a position paper where it summarized peer-reviewed studies on the relationship between packaging and food safety.
“We also urge the regulators to consider technologies that offer alternatives to packaging,” the organization said. “For example, functional Price-Look-Up (PLU) stickers provide important information about the origin of the product and information necessary for food safety traceback on thumbnail-sized stickers which can be used in place of packaging.”
The alliance said future EU packaging and packaging waste rules should consider food loss and waste, alternate technologies and food safety to ensure well-intentioned efforts to rid the planet of single-use packaging waste do not risk the health and safety of European consumers.
ASPF said it urges EU legislators to consider food safety and food quality for packaging of unprocessed fruits and vegetables under 3.3 pounds and to maintain — until alternatives are found — the use of all functional stickers, as they eliminate the need for packaging.
“It is important that the legislation ensures food safety aspects are considered when adopting rules on the minimum recycled content for packaging coming in contact with foods,” the organization said.
