A coalition of nonprofit industry and nongovernmental organizations have formed the Alliance for Sustainable Packaging for Foods.
The ASPF brings together a diverse group of global stakeholders to engage with regulators and governments around the world to encourage the adoption of a holistic and harmonized approach to food packaging regulation, according to a news release. The group’s goal is to achieve environmental sustainability without compromising on food safety and public health and without increasing the environmental footprint of the food supply chain, the release said.
The alliance prioritizes engagement with the ongoing negotiations in the European Union on the revision of applicable packaging and packaging waste rules, as well as the P2 and other packaging-related regulatory developments in Canada, according to the release.
“When discussing the future of packaging, food safety and quality, and reducing food loss and waste are non-negotiable,” IFPA Chief Science Officer Max Teplitski, chair of ASPF, said in the release. “Members of ASPF are clear: We are committed to significantly reducing packaging waste, just not at the expense of food safety. We will work hard with the regulators and policymakers around the world to do so. We must take into account the footprint of the entire lifecycle of packaging use while maintaining food safety and addressing phytosanitary concerns. The purpose of ASPF is to find opportunities for partnership across global stakeholders to create a holistic and harmonized approach to packaging regulation, which reflects and accounts for the key outcomes central to a sustainable food supply.”
The ASPF founding members include:
- Aneberries.
- Canadian Produce Marketing Association.
- FMI – The Food Industry Association.
- Fruit South Africa.
- Frutas de Chile.
- International Fresh Produce Association.
- National Milk Producers Federation.
- National Council of Farmers Coops.
- National Wooden Pallet and Container Association.
- North American Meat Institute.
- Organic Trade Association.
- Reusable Packaging Association.
- STOP Foodborne Illness.
- U.S. Dairy Export Council.
- Western Growers Association.
“Sustainable packaging solutions for food, such as reusable packaging, can also lead to superior product protection and temperature management performance, ensuring food quality and safety and reducing waste,” Todd Hoff, executive vice president at Reusable Packaging Association and vice chair of the alliance, said in the release. “The Reusable Packaging Association values our participation in this wide-ranging industry alliance to support the transformation to more circular reuse systems while upholding the highest food standards. We look forward to working with other industry leaders to demonstrate that packaging can be sustainable, cost-effective, and high-performing without compromising.”
In addition to ASPF executive leadership, the organization said it will also include working groups to drive priorities and action plans that will focus on government relations strategies and the technical approach to advocate for packaging regulations that not only are sound regarding compliance, but also are technically pragmatic for industry implementation. The organization also encourages ongoing consideration and consultation throughout value chains, for extensive buy-in and sustainable success, according to the release.
The alliance says it also has released an analysis of peer-reviewed publications that focus on the food safety vs packaging trade-offs. The position paper can be found on the alliance website.
