More Than Half of Plastic Food Packaging Can Be Replaced, According to a New Study
UK-based DS Smith undertook an extensive field analysis — here's what it found.
There's no doubt in anyone's mind that plastic pollution is a problem. As the United Nations noted, "46% of plastic waste is landfilled, while 22% is mismanaged and becomes litter. Unlike other materials, plastic does not biodegrade. It can take up to 1,000 years to break down, so when it is discarded, it builds up in the environment until it reaches a crisis point," it pointedly added, "This pollution chokes marine wildlife, damages soil and poisons groundwater, and can cause serious health impacts." It's critical to address this growing issue — and that could begin by illuminating useless plastic packaging.
A new research paper commissioned by paper packaging firm DS Smith found that more than half (51%) of packaging on grocery items in the United Kingdom could be reduced or replaced entirely.
To come to this conclusion, the researchers undertook a field analysis, which included an audit of plastic usage on 1,500 food and drink products across the top five food retailers by market share in six European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the UK).
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