Most of the responsibility for recycling falls to the consumers. It is not the industry leaders or manufacturers who are forcing us to make certain choices in packaging, or, more often than we would like, have no choice. Click for source?
Recycling goods can help reduce waste in all industries, including the food sector.
It would be wonderful if the sustainability responsibility was more centered at the start of the supply chain, and not the end?
Here are some ways that businesses can make it easier to be ‘environmentally-friendly’.
1. Water Filtered with Fruit Peels
Researchers in Mexico have created a filter that removes heavy metals from the water and also other contaminants. The material is made from citrus peels like grapefruits and oranges.
It’s great, because they are in plenty. The food industry generates about 38,2 million tons worldwide of peeling waste every year. This is an excellent opportunity to use what’s usually trash.
Material is produced using Instant Controlled Pressure Drop and then packed into columns.
The results indicate that the materials could compete with activated charcoal for the recovery and adsorption of metals in wastewater, allowing for sustainable processes to be carried out in order to obtain products of great value from the residues of the food industry.
– Researcher Luis Alberto Romero Cano
2. The Best Packaging for Food That is Biodegradable
Packaging made of cellulose composites or plant-based materials, and then treated with “active components” that possess anti-oxidant and anti-microbial properties.
Could be an alternative for traditional polymers, such as those plastic containers that we use to dispose of our waste.
Clove ethereal is the best oil for tying up free radicals, fighting oxidation and preventing bacterial growth.
Silver is the answer. Silver particles give the material antimicrobial properties that last for a long time, but they also make it more elastic and stronger.
The non-toxic material takes about 2 years to break down.
Making heat-tolerant packaging out of natural materials is the biggest challenge.
It is still difficult to create something that will withstand an oven, microwave or other heat source and yet naturally decompose after a period of time. This is not possible with cellulose.
There are similar products on the market. It seems that compostable and edible water bottles are gaining popularity. These range in appeal from being somewhat attractive to completely unappealing.