If you’ve got greasy food that requires packaging your top priority is to ensure that grease doesn’t soak through the packaging making it look unattractive, unpleasant to handle and potentially creating a mess!
Most grease resistant packaging uses plastic to provide an effective grease barrier. So even with pressure from consumers and legislators the reduce plastic packaging, this is one area that many brands assume cannot go plastic-free.
However, if you are on a drive to reduce plastic waste, both from the manufacturing process and for the customer, don’t overlook grease resistant packaging. It can be plastic-free and deliver just as an effective packaging solution as less eco-friendly plastic alternatives.
What’s the problem with grease resistant plastic packaging?
Recycling plastic packaging and plastic coated packaging causes problems for both consumers and food brands. It’s one of those products that in theory can be recycled but often isn’t. Successful recycling depends on various factors including the type of plastic used and whether or not local household recycling collections will accept them.
Plastic films, trays, boxes and coatings cause widespread confusion amongst consumers. As BBC One’s War on Plastic series recently revealed, almost half of UK households admit to arguing about which plastics can be recycled, and which can’t.
Black plastic trays are a particular problem and are used extensively in food packaging, especially when grease resistant tray is required. Under the Government’s new waste strategy, food brands could be charged a penalty for packaging like this which is difficult to recycle. The Government are also exploring banning plastic packaging completely where there are viable alternatives – more on this later.
Plastic food packaging is not just a recycling issue either. Most plastic materials are derived from fossil ‘feedstocks’, i.e gas, oil or coal are used as a raw materials for the production of plastics like food packaging. of course, energy from fossil fuels are also used in the plastic manufacturing process and therefore one way of lowering a brand’s carbon footprint is to explore alternatives that aren’t as reliant on fossil fuels.
Fluorocarbons in many plastic barriers and coatings
Another concern are fluorocarbons. A lot of grease resistant coatings are made from fluorocarbons such as polyfluorinated compounds. These have water and grease repellent properties and are used in food contact materials such as baking paper, pizza boxes, microwave oven popcorn bags and other food packaging. These compounds are not biodegradable and are extremely persistent chemicals, both in the environment and in human tissue. Studies have linked them to damaged immune systems in children and some are thought to be carcinogens and endocrine disruptors.
The use of fluorocarbons in food packaging has already been limited in Denmark and the USA is currently legislating against them (Washington State is the first state to pass legislation to ban all PFAS from fibre-based food packaging by 2022). We expect the the EU will pass similar legislation in the near future, either to ban these compounds completely or limit their use in food packaging.
Fortunately clean, biodegradable, compostable and recyclable grease resistant alternatives exist; so you can replace both plastic and food packaging containing fluorocarbons in one go!
Grease resistant food packaging that is plastic free
One of the biggest concerns food packaging companies and brands have when switching to plastic free alternatives is whether the packaging will stand up to grease. Will they need an additional barrier such as a grease proof paper sheet to prevent grease stains from developing?
Our grease resistant plastic free cartonboard does exactly what you would expect from a grease resistant product. The biodegradable barrier coatings used prevent grease from penetrating the cartonboard, so no unsightly grease stains or residues can spoil your customers’ enjoyment of the product. Grease resistant packaging is also available with a black reverse, replacing those hard to recycle black plastic trays and providing an attractive solution for displaying fresh meat and other products.
Unlike some black paper-based trays it is 100% plastic free so can be labelled accordingly to clearly demonstrate your brand’s eco credentials.
Our grease resistant cartonboard is also a mono material so waste from the production line can be recycled via your standard commercial paper and cardboard recycling provider. As our suppliers source cartonboard from FSC certified sources, the FSC chain of custody is maintained with these food packaging solutions.
As well as ensuring that their grease resistant packaging looks great, our clients also want cartonboard that is printable and fully fold-able. As with all our plastic free cardboard, we only supply products that give brands the same high quality print finish as less eco-friendly products do.
We’re helping many food packaging companies and brands meet demand for plastic free packaging with high performance solutions like grease resistant cartonboard.
You can see for yourself by requesting samples here of our grease resistant and other eco-friendly food packaging.
