Preserving food without creating plastic pollution: A primer on progress in developed and low- to middle-income countries

Abstract

The role of single-use plastics in the preservation and packaging of food has expanded dramatically and it is estimated that up to 88 per cent of plastic pollution on the world’s coastlines is derived directly from food packaging. The issues of plastic pollution and food preservation have become heavily entwined. Having recognized the problem, both developed and developing countries have responded by implementing control measures of varying severity and effectiveness. The article presents a primer on the progress being made and the innovations underway to address the problems. We highlight a number of organizations addressing plastic pollution and food waste within low- to middle-income countries (LMICs) and developed countries and classify them into five areas: mapping, collection, prevention, recycling, and alliances-led business models. The article demonstrates that any intervention on preventing food loss, minimizing plastic packaging (that is non-biodegradable, non-compostable, and non-recyclable), and reducing plastic pollution must be systemic, engaging multi-disciplinary sectors, and must include large-scale awareness and advocacy. Government incentives are required for a) research and development for finding new solutions to disrupt the nexus between plastic packaging and food waste, and b) supporting existing innovations/solutions developed by businesses, some of which are highlighted in the paper. This support is important to inspire, promote, and scale up business solutions and innovations that have the best chance to succeed.