NZFSSRC
Should food and recycled packaging go together? This article has been written exclusively for FoodNZ magazine by the NZ Food Safety Science and Research Centre
Acting Director of NZFSSRC, Professor Phil Bremer
Eco-toxicologist at the Cawthron Institute and the University of Auckland, Dr Louis Tremblay
The urgent shift to a so-called circular economy, which does away with waste, presents many opportunities and challenges for the food industry. We know it’s the right thing to do, but it’s hard and it’s complicated. The NZ Food Safety Science and Research Centre (NZFSSRC) is fast trying to get to grips with the food safety risks that may emerge from the use of recycled plastic and paper/cardboard packaging.
Pressure on the food industry Pressure is converging on the food industry from all sides to replace, at least in part, "virgin" packaging with recycled/sustainable alternatives. Global, national and local regulations and targets to reduce and recycle plastics have alarmingly tight timeframes. For example, Australia has set these ambitious targets which exporters to one of our biggest markets should heed: 20
Dr Tim Harwood, Deputy Director of the NZFSSRC
Dr Andrew Pearson, senior environmental consultant with Tonkin & Taylor and member of a WHO/FAO committee on food additives
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100% of packaging being reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025
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70% of plastic packaging being recycled or composted by 2025
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50% of average recycled content included in packaging by 2025
UK and EU countries have different targets and timeframes, with the EU currently considering submissions on regulations which will facilitate the adoption of new and, at least initially, potentially unvalidated recycling technologies.1
Food safety vs protecting the environment? But are such targets feasible for the food industry, where the safety and integrity of product is all important? Is there a fundamental conflict between protecting human health and protecting the environment?
