Plastic Food Packaging Problems

But many of those seemingly safe containers may have hazardous chemicals lurking.

Plastic food packaging problems. 6 according to the us environmental protection agency epa food and food packaging materials make up almost half of all municipal solid waste. Use safer dishware made from materials like glass or stainless steel. The most common were polypropylene which is found in bottle caps and rope and polyethylene from drinking bottles and plastic bags. Certain plastic products are specifically designed to be used once or for a short time to help promote health and sanitary conditions think bandages contacts personal hygiene.

According to statistics about 60 of china s food packaging materials there are security risks. Yet perhaps the most fundamental problem trasande. Progressive food establishments have traded it and other hazardous packaging for safer plant based alternatives. Current problems in food packaging in china.

Don t microwave food in plastic containers put food on a plate instead. 2 1 safety of packaging materials. From soda bottles to plastic wrapping for food to product packaging or even plastic products themselves our obsession with cheap disposable products has created a serious environmental crisis. Often the sustainable options are limited.

Plastics are in the human food chain as well. In 2014 out of the 258 million tons of municipal solid waste generated in the us. Another category plastic food packaging helps keep our food clean and safe and extends freshness. Avoid use of plastic containers with the number 3 or.

In the food market used in plastic bags plastic bottles plastic barrels of food packaging accounted for the majority. The problem is that most fiber food packaging provides good physical and uv light barriers but isn t a good enough barrier for liquids on its own and so requires plastic coatings or other additives like perfluorinated chemicals pfas which can render them unable to be recycled in the case of a plastic lining or might be detrimental to. The impacts of packaging on the environment. Styrene another chemical found in plastic and food packaging has been linked to nervous system dysfunction hearing loss cancer and more.

And because plastic is both strong and lightweight it helps. One study detected nine different types of plastics ingested by humans through food or dust. Designs have to be able to ensure that public health issues like cross contamination won t occur. Solving the plastic packaging problem.