Packaging prolongs the life of food and helps prevent waste. But there remains much to do to truly deliver the most sustainable packaging in this country, and help tackle the vast volumes of packaging we use.Q. Why is sustainable packaging so important?
Mark, Doran Packaging: Without sustainable packaging, we will continue to landfill material we could easily recycle. This has CO2 impacts, but it's also expensive and unnecessary. However, there are complexities involved in sustainable packaging.
What kind of challenges are you referring to?
Mark, Doran Packaging: Well, for example, the paper cups that we offer are ‘recyclable’ but whether they get recycled depends on whether the local council has the facilities to separate the plastic inner lining from the cardboard; some do, some don't.
That can be confusing for the public. It can be frustrating when things that seem easily recyclable, like a simple cup, aren't being recycled. But you need the plastic inner lining, otherwise you would be covered in scalding coffee. Packaging needs to be sustainable, but it must do its job well too.
Do you sell compostable cups?
Mark, Doran Packaging: We do not stock compostable cups yet, but plan to in the future. They are compostable but only industrially. ‘Industrially’ means the council can compost them – you can put them in your food waste bin. In addition, our compostable salad/deli containers are also commercially (i.e. by the council) compostable.
Are your twist handle paper carrier bags 100% recyclable?
Mark, Doran Packaging: Yes, all of our bags can be fully recycled. The Kraft twist handle bags are made from recycled material, and the coloured bags are made from virgin materials.