Youâd think that you might be the last person in the world to do something as squirrely as eating plastic. Donât you? Well, to break your illusion, not only do we eat plastic, but we also ingest it in multiple other ways day in and day out. Our daily plastic intake could be through plastic water bottles or food served in plastic containers, or even via the air that we breathe. Donât you think that this simple fact is enough to make all of us concerned? Yes, it should. Yet, itâs a wonder how the topic isnât a rage already.
A study by the journal Environmental Science and Technology indicates that humans might be consuming an average of 39,000 to 52,000 microplastics every year. If we add our intake through the air as well, the figure immediately climbs to more than 74,000. Still, this is just a ballpark figure that varies with our lifestyle. For instance, if you only drink tap water or bottled water, you might need to add another 4,000 to 90,000 plastic particles annually to the same. Fruits and vegetables, such as apples, can contain an average of 195,500 plastic particles per gram.
There are studies that also suggest that these figures could be highly underreported. It is because we only take raw eatables into our consideration. We typically donât delve into the multiple layers of plastic packaging that virtually go hand in hand with every packaged eatable. Just try and imagine your plastic intake based on the packaged food items that you consume. But how harmful can such plastics be? Frankly, quite a lot.
As an example, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), one of the most commonly used plastics in the industry can be the carrier of several chemicals including dioxins, vinyl chloride, phthalates, cadmium, lead, ethylene dichloride to name a few. It can transfer these toxic chemicals into the food or water that it contains, which we later consume, eventually damaging our immune system and upsetting our gut. A similar phenomenon also takes place inside our bodies via microplastics.
However, if you think that itâs just the chemical reactions that plastics cause, you might be wrong. Different plastics are made differently with several different chemical additives. So, apart from toxins, they can also be suitable vectors for bacteria and parasites. Some of these reasons are why the government has adopted a firm approach towards minimizing the plastic footprint within the food packaging industry.
Why is plastic so popular then?
In a nutshell, one of the primary reasons for it being so popular is that plastic is cost-effective. If youâre thinking that, even if it is cost-effective, how was it allowed to be so heavily used given its impact on flora and fauna? Well, plastic was a game-changer back when it was discovered. It was versatile, lightweight, and easy to manufacture unlike steel, glass, and other materials. It could be molded into multiple shapes and sizes with considerable ease.
These properties made plastic quite popular amongst people. It and its derivatives such as bottles, jars, and tubes also became an integral part of food packaging.
Back then, however, such eco-sensitive studies werenât conducted â not at a scale of the 21st century. By the time its ills were known, its alternative either could not be found or was economically unviable. But awareness has been increasing with every passing year, and voices have only grown stronger.
Is there an alternative?
Yes, there is. We can replace most of the single-use plastic to a great extent by using products made from agri-residue pulp such as bagasse, which is the fibrous sugarcane waste. Bagasse has the majority of properties of plastic and is completely eco-friendly. It is lightweight, flexible, and strong.
It can also be molded into many shapes and sizes. It can be used to make compostable disposables for both indoor dining and outdoor takeaways. By using certain techniques, bagasse-based packaging materials can even hold water, oil, and perfumes. Along with bagasse, other alternatives that can be used to manufacture 100 percent biodegradable products are wheat husk-based pulp and bamboo fiber pulp.
Why isnât it adopted in packaging then and how 2021 might be the turning point?
It is because such sustainable products come at a premium price. But this premium price, simply put, is plain eyewash. A disposable plastic container costs a business about Rs 3 to Rs 3.5. On the other hand, an eco-friendly container might cost around Rs 5. Now, the difference between these two figures is nothing compared to the price that a customer pays for the product carried by such packaging materials. If we are purchasing a Rs 200 snack, the difference turns out to be less than 1 percent.
A customer might be more than willing to pay the premium of Rs 1.5 or Rs 2 given the health-related advantages of it. In fact, a recent survey highlighted that 74 percent of consumers are ready to pay more for sustainable packaging. And out of that, nearly one-fourth are even willing to pay for an increased overall cost of 10 percent or more.
Why sustainable packaging is a necessity for restaurants?
Consumers today critically observe the ingredients that go into the food they purchase, prepare as well as consume. They are also preferring brands that have a cleaner and healthier approach towards food packaging. That means there is a growing demand for sustainable food packaging and Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) should look towards providing eco-friendly solutions which could create a competitive differentiator for them. It is also important to take into account the role that sustainability plays when consumers make purchasing decisions.
Conclusion
As sustainable packaging becomes the need of the hour, more and more positive transitions will be evident in the coming years. We need to keep spreading awareness and voice our demand for sustainable packaging. We need to do so across as many platforms and retail touchpoints as possible. A dime or two is nothing as compared to our health and that of our family, after all.
Simply put, 2021 is going to witness increased adoption of sustainable packaging material because we are just coming out of an unprecedented pandemic. The importance of health and well-being has never been at the level that it is today.
As the COVID-19 vaccination drive is in progress, the governmentâs focus on a cleaner and greener environment will become a priority. We will see initiatives to curb the usage of plastic, especially the single-use one. With improved efficiency and lower costs, switching to sustainable packaging would become easier for retailers as well. The rising cost of commodities (including PET/PE/PP) will further fuel the shift to eco-friendly and sustainable packaging while their costs are expected to reduce simultaneously.
So, why 2021 should be our tipping point? You will get your answer by asking yourself a simple question: If not now, when?
âThe author, Amit Sharma is CEO at Compostables Business, Yash Pakka Ltd. The views expressed are personal
First Published:Â Feb 23, 2021 4:37 PM IST
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