Why do we still use plastic for our packaging at Lindsey Lodge Farm?

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• It is an excellent material protecting the fruit from damage and contamination

• The quality of the contents can be seen clearly by the customer

• The punnets and pots are made from recycled plastic and can themselves be re-cycled

• All our produce is sold in Suffolk where we have a very efficient  re-cycling facility at Great Blakenham

• There is a big demand for re-cycled plastic which significantly reduces the need for new materials in manufacturing

• There is not a suitable alternative available which can satisfy all the environmental demands

• Last year we trialled punnets made from ‘bagasse’. This is the waste product from sugar cane processing. We discovered that bagasse is used as a fuel for heat and power generation in its country of origin and if we take it for packaging, fossil fuel  would be used in its place.

• Carefully managed re-cycling is better for our environment than increased carbon emissions

• Also, to be suitable for food use, bagasse must be treated with the waterproofing chemical perfluoroalkyl. These 'PFA's' are known as 'forever chemicals' because they remain in the environment and our bodies for a very long time. There are serious concerns about the build up of these chemicals in the environment.

 

Our conclusion is that in Suffolk re-cyclable plastic is not a problem so long as it is properly disposed of and then re-used.

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https://www.viridor.co.uk/plastics/plastics2/

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