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Polymer film packaging for food: An environmental assessment

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  • Barlow, C.Y.
  • Morgan, D.C.

Abstract

Plastics packaging is ubiquitous in the food industry, fulfilling a range of functions including a significant role in reducing food waste. The public perception of packaging, however, is dominated by end-of-life aspects, when the packaging becomes waste often found littering urban, rural and marine environments. A balanced analysis of the role of packaging demands that the whole lifecycle is examined, looking not only at the packaging itself but also at the product being packaged. This paper focuses on packaging in the meat and cheese industry, analysing the impact of films and bags. The functions of packaging are defined and the environmental impact of delivering these functions is assessed. The influence of packaging on levels of waste and energy consumption elsewhere in the system is examined, including the contentious issue of end-of-life for packaging.

Suggested Citation

  • Barlow, C.Y. & Morgan, D.C., 2013. "Polymer film packaging for food: An environmental assessment," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 74-80.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:recore:v:78:y:2013:i:c:p:74-80
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2013.07.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Dominik Jasiński & Ilija Djekic & Luka Dobrović, 2025. "Sustainability Assessment of Employing Chemical Recycling Technologies on Multilayer Packaging Waste," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-29, January.
    2. Karima AFIF & Bocar Samba BA & Eugénie JOLTREAU, 2024. "Tax-subsidy schemes for recycling when quantity and quality of waste matter," Working Papers 2024.02, FAERE - French Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.
    3. Bayus, Jacob & Ge, Changfeng & Thorn, Brian, 2016. "A preliminary environmental assessment of foil and metallized film centered laminates," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 31-41.
    4. Bishal Dey Sarkar & Isha Sharma & Sakshi Gupta, 2025. "Waste minimization in agri-food supply chain: perspective for sustainable development," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(3), pages 6255-6279, March.

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