Environmentally Preferable Food Service Ware
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Contents |
Overview
Due to the tremendous amount of waste being generated from disposable food ware, cafeterias and food service operations are beginning to convert to more environmentally friendly food ware. This transition has become more complicated and complex than expected due to various forms of food ware options that are available. Newer food service ware packaging is focused on recycling and source reduction but most of them still end up in landfills. In order to significantly reduce the amount of waste being generated from these materials, food service operations need to determine what food service packaging best suits the needs of their customers while creating the least environmental impact.
Environmental Impact
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, almost 1.8 million tons of quick-serve food packaging were thrown away in the United States in 1996. The amount of waste that is being accumulated from this industry has created a significant environmental problem. According to Sustainable Foodservice Consulting, food packaging accounts for about 70% of the volume or 30-50% of the weight of foodservice trash and that implementing a waste reduction program can significantly reduce disposal costs. Health Care Without Harm lists a number of potential negative impacts from conventional disposable food service ware that include but are not limited to:
- Depletion of nonrenewable resources and fossil fuels
- Contribution to global warming
- Generation of air and water pollutants from manufacturing, shipping, and disposal
- Introduction of toxic chemicals into the environment during production, use and disposal
- Contamination of food from leaching chemicals
Thus, converting to environmentally friendly food packaging has many potential benefits. Most alternative food service ware are reusables or biobased disposals. Biobased disposals are either made completely or partially from renewable resources such as corn, potatoes, grasses, or sugar cane. Paper products are another renewable biobased option as well. These products have an advantage when they are composted. However, biobased disposal food service products can also pose negative threats to the environment and human health as well. Since many biobased options and waste reduction programs are available, it is important to choose the most beneficial option based on its overall environmental performance.
Best Practices
Overall environmental performance is essentially a life cycle assessment. Environmental performance of food service materials is based on many factors. These include raw materials, chemical make-up, manufacturing process, delivery systems, ability to be reused/recycled, disposal methods, compostablility and lifespan energy footprint. Sustainable Packaging Coalition provides a comprehensive report that lists criteria and sustainability objectives that helps describe overall environmental performance of all forms of packaging.
Health Care Without Harm has created a useful environmentally preferable purchasing hierarchy that takes into account many environmental performance factors. Since the raw materials used to make food service ware creates a significant impact on its environmental performance, the most preferred option is using reusable food service ware. According to their research, "reusable food service ware requires far fewer material resources, uses much less energy, and generates much lower levels of air and water pollutants and less solid waste in its production, use and disposal than similar disposable products....switching to reusable products can also result in significant cost savings." However, it is important that food service operators choose reusable food ware that is not harmful to humans and the environment. Some of these chemicals include polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polycarbonate. Preferable materials include lead-free ceramic, glass, stainless steel, biobased materials, polyethylene, or polypropylene.
The hierarchy continues with biobased products beyond baseline sustainability criteria, followed by biobased products that meets baseline sustainability criteria. The less preferred choice is biobased material that does not meet baseline criteria and the least preferred is fossil fuel-based disposable products. The baseline sustainability criteria are listed on page 3 and 4 of Health Care Without Harm's Choosing Environmentally Preferable Food Service Ware document. At the very minimum, food service operations should consider purchasing products that are made from recycled content, labeled as compostable, meet ASTM standards for compostability, certified by Biodegradable Products Institute, or meet as many sustainability criteria as possible.
A large portion of waste generated from the food service industry is also the food itself. According to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, 11.7% of all U.S. waste generation is food scraps. A product now being used in many food service operations is a machine called a Food Waste Pulper. These food waste disposers are designed to reduce the combined amount of waste volume up to 85%. They also help to reduce labor costs, reduce theft, improve sanitation, conserve water and energy, and enhance the efficiency of the workplace.
Understanding the Green Food Service Ware Terms
Reusable-Any food service product or package that can be used more than once in its same form and only needs sorting and washing in order to be used again. The materials can be used again and again by the customer, food vendor or other reuse programs.
Compostable-ASTM Standards 6400 or 6868-biodegradable in municipal or industrial composting facilities at a specified rate that is usually 180 days or less.
Problems with compostable material:
- All products purchased must be compostable
- Employees need to be educated
- Local composting facility needs to be informed
- Customers frequently discard the material at another location
Biodegradable-Technically refers to any material that breaks down into smaller and smaller parts until microorganisms can consume and return to nature within a reasonably short time after customary disposal. However, in reality it is more of a marketing term because there is very limited data supporting that biodegradable products will break down in a landfill any faster than other material and is difficult to substantiate.
Recyclable-According the the Federal Trade Commission, recyclable means that the products can be collected, separated or recovered from the solid waste stream and used again, or reused in the manufacture or assembly of another package or product through an established recycling program. A claim of recyclability should make clear to consumers whether it refers to the product, the package, or both.
Fact Sheets and Suggested Products
Food Service Waste Reduction Fact Sheets
Recycled/Compostable Products Available
- Biodegradable Products Institute-List of many others
Polices/Regulations/Purchasing Guides
Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement-Final ruling by Department of Agriculture
Database of Environmental Information for Products and Services-A database for product-specific information that the federal government purchases.
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing for Green Cafeterias-Program for cafeterias to incorporate green solutions.
News and Information
[[Example Contract-- State of California]] In November 2008 the State of California awarded a one year statewide sustainable EPP contract for Plates, Bowls, Trays, Containers, Utensils, Lunch Boxes, and Wrapping Materials, with a January 2009 start date. This contract including all EPP specifications can be downloaded by clicking the following CA eprocurement contract number (1-08-73-02A) . In February 2009 the State of California awarded a one year statewide contract sustainable EPP for Cups, Lids, Containers and Napkins with a March 2009 start date. This contract including all EPP specifications can be downloaded by clicking the following CA eprocurement contract number (1-09-73-02C). Both of these contracts were awarded to San Joaquin Distributors, which is a “California based Small Business” specializing in disposable food containers. The bid specification will be revisited next year to add and improve criteria as the technology and measurement methods are further developed, for example there may be upgrades in coatings and updates in the ASTM standards for composting as they are under development along with the many new municipal and commercial composting equipment and facilities are being implemented in CA and throughout the US.
-Information courtesy of Antoinette Stein, PhD, Associate Procurement Engineer, (R09 PECG), State of California, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program, Department of General Services, Procurement Division
References
Waste Reduction. Sustainable Foodservice Consulting. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
Definitions and Standards of Biodegradability. Biodegradable Products Institute. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
Greening Your Purchase of Food Serviceware. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
Choosing Environmentally Preferable Food Service Ware. Health Care Without Harm. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
Guidelines for Designating Biobased Products for Federal Procurement. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
Sustainable Packaging. Sustainable Packaging Coalition. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
Green Cafeterias. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
Restaurant and Food Services Standards. Green Seal, Inc. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
Food Service Waste Reduction. Georgia Department of Natural Resources Pollution Prevention Division. Retrieved July 26, 2009.
