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P. Rajesh and V. Subhashini
for both consumers and manufacturers additionally ensuring a cleaner environment
for the future generations.
Keywords Biodegradable packing · Sustainability · Biopolymers · Energy
efficiency
1 Introduction
Packaging waste is a significant part of solid waste generated increasing the environmental concerns, which has led to the strengthening of EU Regulations to reduce
amounts of packaging waste. Among other raw materials, a wide range of oil-based
polymers are currently used in packaging material manufacturing which are nonbiodegradable and difficult to recycle or reuse due to mixed levels of contamination
and complex composites. Due to surge of plastic industry and the durability of the
material, most traditional methods of packaging has long been forgotten. Use of leaf
and leaf composites, cloth and paper packing and tin or tin foils were used for food
and beverage industries and cardboards were preferred for other merchandises.
Globally more than 200 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated annually
with the APAC region reporting the highest consumption, followed by the EU and
North America. Plastic is a major global concern, accounting for 12% of the world’s
solid waste contributing to a major environmental impact on carbon footprint, global
warming and blue water footprint. At the same time, the rapid increase in urban population with higher disposable incomes has contributed to increased food consumption, higher rates of food waste and relative food loss. Food packaging and supply
companies and basic material producers are now investing in sustainability plans and
innovations to improve the management of paper and plastic waste and at the same
time to extending shelf-life to ensure food quality and reduce food waste without
compromising the quality.
The food and beverage industry has contributed extensively to the production of
excess plastic due to the high consumption rate of increasing urban population, which
in turn has led to high environmental implications. On the other hand, consumers life
style today has changed as they are more concerned about the brands they consume
through packaging however fortunately, they are more aware of the environmental
impact of the products they consume.
One of the greatest consumers of the packaging industry are the food packing
industry and in the recent years and due to the availability of mobile and online facility,
the increase in food packing and delivery has reached its highest limits. Earlier the
commonly used packaging material were wood, paper, glass, metals and tins, plastics
and composites. However the recent decades have seen the increased use of plastics
and Styrofoam in the packaging industry. Due to its superior properties like of non
permeability, inertness to the environment, durability, lesser weight, stability and
availability, plastic are preferred. These properties of plastic also make them last in the
environment forever and accumulate as solid waste, if not recycled properly (Andrady
P. Rajesh and V. Subhashini
for both consumers and manufacturers additionally ensuring a cleaner environment
for the future generations.
Keywords Biodegradable packing · Sustainability · Biopolymers · Energy
efficiency
1 Introduction
Packaging waste is a significant part of solid waste generated increasing the environmental concerns, which has led to the strengthening of EU Regulations to reduce
amounts of packaging waste. Among other raw materials, a wide range of oil-based
polymers are currently used in packaging material manufacturing which are nonbiodegradable and difficult to recycle or reuse due to mixed levels of contamination
and complex composites. Due to surge of plastic industry and the durability of the
material, most traditional methods of packaging has long been forgotten. Use of leaf
and leaf composites, cloth and paper packing and tin or tin foils were used for food
and beverage industries and cardboards were preferred for other merchandises.
Globally more than 200 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated annually
with the APAC region reporting the highest consumption, followed by the EU and
North America. Plastic is a major global concern, accounting for 12% of the world’s
solid waste contributing to a major environmental impact on carbon footprint, global
warming and blue water footprint. At the same time, the rapid increase in urban population with higher disposable incomes has contributed to increased food consumption, higher rates of food waste and relative food loss. Food packaging and supply
companies and basic material producers are now investing in sustainability plans and
innovations to improve the management of paper and plastic waste and at the same
time to extending shelf-life to ensure food quality and reduce food waste without
compromising the quality.
The food and beverage industry has contributed extensively to the production of
excess plastic due to the high consumption rate of increasing urban population, which
in turn has led to high environmental implications. On the other hand, consumers life
style today has changed as they are more concerned about the brands they consume
through packaging however fortunately, they are more aware of the environmental
impact of the products they consume.
One of the greatest consumers of the packaging industry are the food packing
industry and in the recent years and due to the availability of mobile and online facility,
the increase in food packing and delivery has reached its highest limits. Earlier the
commonly used packaging material were wood, paper, glass, metals and tins, plastics
and composites. However the recent decades have seen the increased use of plastics
and Styrofoam in the packaging industry. Due to its superior properties like of non
permeability, inertness to the environment, durability, lesser weight, stability and
availability, plastic are preferred. These properties of plastic also make them last in the
environment forever and accumulate as solid waste, if not recycled properly (Andrady