Berry Producers Push for Standardized Package Recycling Labels

(Photo Credit: Cara Difabio, Flickr Creative Commons)

by | Feb 6, 2020

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(Photo Credit: Cara Difabio, Flickr Creative Commons)

A coalition of fresh berry industry leaders in North America, including growers and shippers, set a goal this week to use 100% recycle-ready packaging by 2025.

The California Strawberry Commission, the North American Blueberry Council, Asociacion national de Exportadores de Berries from Mexico, members of the National Berry Crops Initiative, and South American exporters are among those who are collaborating on packaging.

Participants in the coalition want to establish new label standards for clamshells — clear plastic packaging shaped into a vented box that has a hinged lid.

“This type of packaging created a market to convert recycled plastic water bottles into clear, lightweight containers that protect the fruit from damage and contamination, thus reducing food waste,” the group says. It also decreases greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the amount of raw resources needed to make the packaging, and saves fuel because lighter packaging results in lighter shipments, they added.

The berry industry competitors say they plan to encourage consumers to recycle the clamshells. They also want to establish new specifications for their packaging manufacturers. Ultimately the aim is to create economies of scale, lower costs, and have a circular system that recycles used clamshells into new ones.

According to the coalition, individual berry companies have said they’re exploring solutions such as:

  • Encouraging material recycling handlers and consumers to recycle more clamshells.
  • Including post-consumer recycled content in clamshell packaging.
  • Supporting the development of new materials that are readily recyclable, compostable, or both.

“Changes in laws and regulations regarding recycled content of plastic containers, and consumer demand for more sustainable packaging, requires that food producers and distributors, packaging manufacturers, material recycling facilities, and consumers, all work together to ensure that recyclable content is captured and reprocessed into new packaging,” the coalition said.

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