Towards sustainable food packaging – Six sustainability criteria developed by Package-Heroes

The European Union wants food packages to be recyclable and reusable Europe produces nearly 30 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, and the amount is increasing. Food packaging accounts for almost 60% of the plastic waste produced. The European Union’s (EU) 2018 plastics strategy sets a target that all plastic packaging used in the Union will be either reusable or easily recyclable by 2030. The same objective is also included …

Plastics as packaging material could be reduced especially in the packages of candies and take-away food

In the Package-Heroes research project the packaging materials used in food products in grocery stores were analysed. The analysis identified the product groups in which there is a clear need, and also most potential to reduce the amount of plastics in packages. The Plastics Roadmap for Finland and EU’s Single-Use Plastic Directive provided the starting point for the analysis. Human actions are causing the ever-increasing plastic littering problem as well …

Blog: Supporting societal transition through partial organisation?

Could understanding societal transitions as being partially organized help in finding ways to accelerate the transition towards sustainable food packaging? Societal transitions, like the move towards sustainable food packaging studied in Package-Heroes, are nonlinear, disruptive systemic shifts. The actors in the system experience pressure to change from outside their system, for instance due to innovations or shifting norms and values. The pressures on food packaging to move to more sustainable …

Blog: Food package protects also during state of emergency

Most of us have already been influenced by the outbreak of coronavirus. For example, I have locked myself home. My gratitude is with the people who keep our society moving like doctors, nurses, cleaners, teachers, shopkeepers, food producers and even packaging producers to name a few. I really appreciate your efforts in keeping our society functional, people alive and making sure that there is packed healthy food in every fridge …

Demo packaging cases selected

The research in Package-Heroes project will be performed and demonstrated by using demo packaging cases. In these demo cases we will either substitute or reduce the use of non-degradable plastics in food packaging, and study the acceptance, feasibility and holistic sustainability of the proposed solutions. During the project’s first year, we have clarified the current use and performance of cellulose-based materials in food packaging. We have mapped the already existing …

Blog: Reducing single-use plastics in food delivery by a “Green App”?

Four student groups decided to take up the challenge presented by Package-Heroes project and CLIC Innovation in a challenge camp called #10days100challenges. The teams had 10 days to figure out solutions to the challenge of reducing single-use plastic in food delivery. Team Plastic not Fantastic and their Green App solution was selected as the winner. The team now introduces their solution in this blog. “During the #10days100challenges event, our team …