Packaging is a minefield at the best of times, especially with the implementation of legislation like the Plastic Packaging Tax and the single-use plastics ban in Scotland this year. When you then throw sustainability into the mix, your list of options may become even shorter. But it doesn’t have to be difficult.
At Bidfood Catering Supplies, we have put in place a number of sustainability goals, and we are already making huge strides. These include:
• Eliminating all problematic single-use packaging by 2025
• 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable products within the disposable category
• 100% of plastic packaging effectively recyclable or compostable by 2025
• Developing a clean green range with dependable environmental credentials
• Providing waste stream customer support and waste management awareness.
Goodbye EPS
In the UK, 57% of adults believe that brands should be using more recycled content in their packaging. It’s one of the reasons why we have removed all EPS (expanded polystyrene) from our disposables range. Despite the fact that EPS is good at insulating food and drink, it currently doesn’t have a recycling stream in the UK. It also has a major impact on marine and wildlife when not disposed of correctly.
Recycle or renew
It can be hard to make informed choices about which waste stream to place your packaging in. That’s why we have streamlined unnecessary duplication to develop comprehensive recyclable and compostable ranges. And to help our customers make easy choices, every disposable product on our website and new collateral clearly shows which waste streams it should enter after use. We know how important it is to signpost this as 33% of adults will look for the right bin or waste stream for their packaging.
When considering the types of recycling bins to have in your establishment, think of materials or product rather than mixed recycling: paper cups, cardboard, plastics and more. Colour coding will also help your customers, as it’s visually clearer.
Reuse and reduce
There has been a strong movement encouraging people to look for alternatives to single-use products. Take Clingfilm, for example, which is great for covering your food and sealing in the freshness. But after one use, it has to be thrown away. But if you were to swap it with a Wrapmaster Flexsil-Lid, a flexible, durable reusable solution, you’ll get the same convenient result, but with an empty bin.
Another advantage of replacing single-use products with a reusable is the cost. With the combination of inflation and tighter budgets, opting for a reusable product could save you hundreds, if not thousands of pounds from your yearly budget.
The Wrapmaster Flexil-Lid is just one of the reusable products that we have started to introduce, and this area of reusables will continue to grow as products and solutions suitable for foodservice come to the market, meaning less packaging entering our landfills.
Waste stream management
Looking at the four Rs: reuse, reduce, recycle and renew, it’s clear to see that having an available waste stream is key, especially as more than seven in ten people will always look for the correct bin or waste stream to use for their packaging.
We recently took some key stakeholders within Bidfood and Bidfood customers to visit the Paper Round facility in Purfleet, which is a Material Recovery Facility where commercial waste such as paper, board, coffee cups, metals, plastics, glass and electrical components are sent. From there, they are shipped around the UK to recyclers and convertors, who will then convert the material into new products, giving them a second lease on life.
They also have a dedicated Vegware and compostable line, where collected Vegware products are checked, before being sent onto composting convertors.
It was a real eye opener about how important it is to put the right product in the right bin, particularly when you consider that over a third of people are often confused about which is the correct bin or waste stream for different materials. We will continue to grow our relationships with companies such as Paper Round, so that we, in turn, can share with customers the knowledge that we have gained before the product is even sold.
Clean meets green
Whenever the word sustainability is mentioned, we automatically think about reducing waste and recycling and forget about cleaning. I’m sure you’ve never thought about using bacteria to clean, but the fact is, bacteria have been a natural cleaner since the beginning of time. There are friendly bacteria that produce the necessary enzymes to eat the bad bacteria, really harnessing the power of nature.
To help our customers achieve this, we have recently partnered with BioVate Hygienics to provide a complete hybrid cleaning solution for the commercial kitchen environment.
The first range, called BioVate, is a complete solution of highly concentrated biological products, using the latest probiotic cleaning. The range is supported with a full service offering, including free on-loan dispensers and correct dosing with products, to make up to 375 trigger bottles from one 1.5 litre pouch.
The second range is EcoVate and supports BioVate with ready-to-use products using green soft chemistry, which has a far lower environmental impact than many other products on the market. Both are ideal for any catering establishment.
On top of the probiotic cleaning, the packaging of both the BioVate ranges is made from PCR plastic and is biodegradable and recyclable. Choosing concentrates is not only beneficial, as they hugely reduce cost, but the 1.5 litre pouch uses 90% less plastic than the five-litre bottles, reducing your overall plastic consumption by 75%. It gets even better as it’s all manufactured in the UK, reducing transportation emissions.
Yes, the earth is our planet, but the environmental impact of the products you buy is your choice. So to help you make the easier choice, our dedicated team at Catering Supplies has put together our Sustainable Food-to-go Packaging Solutions guide.
As well as listing our range of products, it has advice on how to reuse, reduce, recycle and renew certain packaging, and the ways to handle them safely because our goal is to lead and inspire foodservice to create a positive change and better future for everyone.