For GCSE AQA Food Technology
, Introduction
There is a lot of media attention on the effect consumers, food
manufacturers and retailers are having on the environment now and
over the next 50 years.
Main concerns regarding food packaging are;
1) Cannot always be recycled (make it into something else)
2) Not always biodegradable i.e. rots down to become compost.
3) Uses up worlds natural resources of oil, metals & trees.
4) Production of packaging causes air, land & water pollution.
5) Transportation around world causes air pollution.
6) 90% of rubbish goes into landfill sites.
, What can manufacturers do?
1) Use recyclable & biodegradable packaging when possible.
2) Ensure consumers know which packaging is recyclable – put
recycle logos on packaging
3) Use less packaging.
4) Stop pointless packaging i.e. shrink wrapped cucumbers.
5) Packaging could be made thinner.
, What can consumers do?
1) Choose products that come in recyclable/biodegradable
packaging.
2) Ensure we recycle as much as we can. Only 33% of packaging
recycled when 70% can be.
3) Buy a single, larger sized product than individual portions i.e.
yogurt.
4) Use your own shopping bags instead of carrier bags.
Scientists & technologists are developing biodegradable food
packages based on starch based waste products, including corn &
potato starch.