Great Packaging Doesn't Grow On Trees...Its Made From Recycled Plastic!

Sir Richard Attenborough Blames Plastic For Ocean Pollution  

Quite clearly, pollution and litter is an issue of responsibility with too many people  being too lazy to dispose of their litter responsibly and those with the power to make changes failing to enforce the necessary actions. 

image: Plastic bottle & other waste on beaches and in oceans 

Some cardboard has taken the place of plastics in the retail sector but the reality is that it has limited packaging credentials and gives less protection from damage to products in transit and on display and has less moisture resistance which can shorted the shelf life of some food products. Additionally, plastic is lighter to transport than cardboard resulting in less emissions & cardboard also requires circa 3 times more energy to produce than plastics (source PAC Worldwide)

Although heralded for its biodegradable qualities, in reality cardboard can take several years to degrade and actually contributes to methane gas emissions as it decomposes.

When you add to this the impact to rainforests of continuing to providing the paper industry with wood pulp to replace paper and cardboard products which are disposed of plus the increase in harmful carbon dioxide levels that pollutes our oxygen and fuels global warming, then it is clear that cardboard is not the credible solution it was purported to be.  

  image: Devastation of rainforests due to cardboard requirements 

The Plastic Industry fights Back 

For the past few years the plastic packaging industry has been fighting back and has campaigned for better education and information about recycling coupled with investment into recycling facilities so that plastic can be reused. A 'traffic light system' to phase out less environmentally friendly plastics such as PVC and single use plastics was agreed with retailers and clearer messages on pack to advise consumers how to recycle their packaging was set in motion. 

rPET Plastic - The Most Sustainable Packaging Solution?

It is generally accepted that rPET Plastic is the material that ticks most boxes when it comes to the environment as it can be washed and recycled many times over. rPET plastic can be recognised by the number 1 in the triangle and is widely recycled by local authorities and manufacturers involved in the production of plastic packaging.

As part of its new green initiatives the Government stipulated that from April 2022 all rPET plastic packaging should have a minimum of 30% recycled content or face high tax levies and this is driving recycling initiatives worldwide. In some poorer countries for instance, people are collecting plastic waste and bringing it to recycling plants in exchange for money or health vouchers. It is clear that recycling plastic is not only helping to clean up the world but is also providing employment and opportunity to many people.       

Instead of being dropped into oceans or littered in our countryside rPET plastic like water bottles and food packaging is now being collected by local councils and agencies to be granulated and hot washed before being turned into plastic sheet used for making products such as the Caterline Sandwich Platters and Lids      

image: rPET material can hot washed and reused many times over 

What Are The Benefits Of Recycled Plastic To the Food Packaging Chain?

• The production of new plastic packaging with reusable materials consumes fewer resources, both in terms of energy and raw materials.

• Consequently, less CO2 enters the atmosphere, meaning greenhouse gas emissions are reduced.

• In the plastics recycling process, 100% of the material is used, giving it a new use and fully eliminating waste.

• The quality and properties of sustainable flexible packaging ensure optimum preservation of the product, thereby avoiding the need for repackaging.

• The option of reusing surplus packaging after washing and sterilisation, means that it is suitable for reuse. In relation to this, as our platters have been designed for repeated use, they are stronger and more durable than similar products.

Caterline

Caterline is a Manchester based manufacturer of catering platters & lids and they  work hard to ensure that their products meet all the required environmental standards including investment into extrusion and recycling equipment. The Company also sources its raw materials locally to reduce their carbon footprint & supply eco-friendly catering trays & lids to restaurants, sandwich shops, caterers,  party planners as well as directly to end users.

The Caterline serving platter range is widely used for all sorts of catering at events such as weddings, birthdays, Christmas functions, office parties and  Diwali as the ideal way to protect and display buffet food such as sandwiches, salads, pork pies and sausage rolls, crisps and of course cakes and sweets. 

All of the platter bases and lids can be washed and reused many times over and as our platters have been designed for repeated use, they are stronger and more durable than similar products. Once finished with the serving platters are 100% recyclable.

  www.caterline.net