Sustainability has quickly become a prime concern not only for businesses, but also for individuals. Over the years we have seen a huge increase in activities related to climate change and environmental issues. One of the big challenges for the food and hospitality industry has been the reduction in plastic, especially as so many food and drink products traditionally use plastic packaging. Here, we set out the issues and give you ideas on how to tackle them.
It is important we understand why we need to reduce our use of plastics, or, where we can’t, learn how to dispose of them correctly. Making these changes will not only have a positive impact on your sales (as studies show that eco-friendly brands are viewed more favourably by consumers), but also on the planet.
Plastics are used in all sorts of positive ways; protecting the food we buy and preventing it from becoming waste before it reaches our kitchens and fridges. However, for all the positive applications and uses of plastic there are many that are problematic or unnecessary, exacerbating the issue of plastic waste in the natural environment. WRAP say plastic packaging placed on the market in the UK totals 2.4M tonnes, and flexible plastics in the UK account for 25% of consumer packaging, yet we only recycle 4%.
TUCO have long been supporters of WRAP and encourage everyone in the industry to take a look at the work they do to encourage sustainable businesses and communities. The UK Plastics Pact, led by WRAP, brings together businesses from across the entire plastics value chain with UK governments and NGOs to tackle the issue of plastic waste. The Pact unites businesses involved in producing, selling, collecting, and reprocessing plastic to deliver ambitious targets for change by 2025:
Single-use plastics are one of the biggest issues; they often end up finding their way into landfill or littered. The UK Plastics Pack report states that a single-use plastic packaging item is problematic or unnecessary if; its use is avoidable or reusable options are available; it’s not recyclable or hampers the recycling process; or it pollutes our environment. Following this definition, they identified eight problematic or unnecessary items and materials to eliminate, which totals 22,500 tonnes:
In everyday society, the changes to eliminate these problem plastics are already underway. Many supermarkets have eliminated plastic packaging on fruit & veg and instead turned to loose produce, numerous hospitality businesses have removed plastic cutlery and replaced them with wooden alternatives, and many organisations have switched to paper straws or eliminated disposable cups – it’s a great first step.
Another way in which you can play your part, is to spread awareness and encourage behaviour change to your staff and customers. Promoting initiatives such as Recycle Week, using WRAP resources and ensuring you provide clear recycling points are all great starts. You can also look to implement plastic take-back schemes or reverse vending; a machine which accepts used containers and gives back cash to the user. Encouraging the use of reusable cups is another idea – some businesses award customers who bring their own cups, and you can clearly mark water dispensers on campus.
If you are a TUCO member, we have various ways to support you on your sustainability journey:
Don’t forget, the TUCO community is available and on-hand if you’d like to discuss any challenges you’re facing with regard to plastics, or sustainability in general. You can also take a look at our website for upcoming professional development events centered around sustainability.
Please do not ignore the issue of plastics, especially in our industry. Unless we take decisive action, there will be more plastic than fish in our waters by 2050*.
* Ellen MacArthur Foundation and World Economic Forum