World-Recycling-Day
‘Recycling’ and ‘being recyclable’ is complicated.
Just because something is recyclable, doesn’t mean it will be recycled. Just because something is compostable, doesn’t mean it is necessarily ‘perfect’ for the environment.
Finding the right sort of packaging is hard, and any manufacturer in 2020 who relies on producing packaging should carry out appropriate research into the materials they are using.
Every decision to positively change the way something is produced or manufactured can sometimes have a negative effect which is often unintended but is still damaging in some way. For example, while paper bags decompose quicker than plastic bags, giving them less chance of creating litter, they also take four times the amount of energy to be produced.
At Zinda, we have taken this into account whilst also looking at consumer behaviour when purchasing food to go. Research finds that, while packaging is often intended to be recyclable, people’s awareness of or ability to recycle different materials often means that the material will eventually end up in landfill anyway.
We’ve therefore chosen to use paper trays and paper sleeves for our AirWraps, which are recyclable but will also decompose quickly if they are not recycled properly.
World recycling day is important as it allows us the opportunity to think about whether or not we do enough to ensure our purchasing decisions are as sustainable as they could be.
Here at Zinda, we believe people could always go one step further in their efforts to minimise waste and to protect our planet. That’s why we’ll soon be rolling out our bespoke bagasse trays which will be the first example of 100% home compostable packaging used by a food to go manufacturer.
If you have any suggestions or thoughts on how small businesses could do more in terms of sustainability, please leave us a comment in our recent Instagram posts on recycling!