Impact of food manufacturing technologieson the environment

Packaging Practices

Packaging provides:

protection of the product

convenience for the consumer

marketing opportunity for the manufacturer

The cost of making, handling, reusing, recycling and disposing of packaging materials is passed on to the consumer in the cost of the product

Discussion

Do you think glass is environmentally friendly? Why / why not?

Glass

Large amounts of energy required to shape the glass and handle their heavy weight

Recycled glass must be extensively broken down and reshaped

Carbon dioxide produced during manufacture and contributes to the greenhouse effect

Glass containers need to be reused 10 times before they are as environmentally friendly as plastic items

Coke Bottles

Change in packaging:

response to environmental concerns

Expensive to produce and handle

Use of cans and PET bottles to remain competitive

National Packaging Covenant

Created in 1999

Aim: to encourage an environmentally sustainable approach to packaging issues by all levels of the supply chain

Supported by federal, state and local government

Created by the Environmental Protection & Heritage Council in consultation with the National Packaging Council of Australia

Positive Packaging Practices

Positive Practice Affect on the environment

Glass manufacturers recycle glass to make new products

Fewer raw materials usedReduction in landfill

Resealable plastic bagsless plastic film used to

rewrap products once they are opened

Lightweight plastic used in place of glass. E.g. honey &

peanut butter

Plastic is recyclableLess energy used to make

plastic

Tetra Pak ‘s can be recycled. Paper - pulped, plastic & aluminium returned to

supplier

Less energy used in the production, distribution &

handling (lightweight)

Over Packaging

Over packaging

Negative Packaging Practices

Negative Practice Affect on the environment

Overpackaging

Increased landfillMore resources used to produce extra layers of

packaging

Prepackaged foods E.g. mushrooms in a

styrofoam tray and shrink wrapped

Food wastage

Package too large for product it contains E.g. Corn chips have large head space to

protect contents

Wastage of packaging materials and resources used

to create them

Production Techniques

Food manufacturers use a large amount of water and energy in the production of their products and packaging

Environmental cost analysis used to show how packaging uses energy

Energy is required for:

heating, cooling, freezing

maintaining storage conditions

moving products through the production process

operating machines

cleaning & maintenance

Energy

amount of machinery

size of machinery

age of machinery

poorly maintained machinery

= more energy used in the form of electricity & gas

Water can also be used as energy but must be treated properly before being released into waterways

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Waste

All products will generate waste in their production.

Amount of waste created must be considered in terms of ecological sustainability

Ideally, waste generated during production would become raw materials in another product. E.g. strawberries used for ice-cream and sauces

waste

Food manufacturing industry sells its waste ingredients to other companies. If not carried out properly, this waste can only be used as animal feed

E.g. Curly Fries

What could the wastage be used for?

Waste Management Experiment

At home, we discard skin, trimmings and other inedible portions of food in the garbage

In the food manufacturing industry similar waste occurs but in larger volumes

Waste gets used as animal feed.

Oranges - juice - peel for cattle feed

Corn - canned - husks for cattle feed

Fish - filleted - heads for fish bait & pet food

Chicken - frozen - heads & feet for gelatine & poultry feed

Nuts - packaged - mulch for mushroom growing

Waste management

Nature has its own waste management system

Trouble occurs when we overload the natural system’s ecological balance

Industry has developed biodegradable wastes that are not harmful to the environment in the long term

The problem exists when a large amount of waste is discharged in a small area such as a tip

Waste Management

There are 2 ways that nature can cope with the issue of excess waste:

End of pipe waste treatment - waste such as water is treated before it is returned to waterways. (Diagram Pg 237)

Recycle as much material as possible

Packaging Waste

Packaging used today is designed to be used only once although many types of packaging are re-usable and recyclable

Clean Up Australia Day 2006 (Pie chart Pg 238)

Sanitary Landfill

Tip

Filling natural depressions and quarries with successive layers of waste and soil

This method converts mining pits and swamp lands into useful recreation areas for the local community once the tip is full

Diagram (Pg 239)

Responsible disposalof waste

Review Questions

Questions 1-4 Pg 235

Questions 1-4 Pg 239