Sustainable decision-making for food packaging given consumer rejection of plastic (PacKnoPlast)

The principal aim of the PacKnoPlast project was to reduce or eliminate plastic use in food packaging where this is advantageous for sustainability. This was to be achieved by acknowledging potential trade-offs between the negative environmental impacts of plastic packaging and the specific benefits it could bring, such as reductions in food waste compared to potential alternatives. Hence, reduction or elimination of plastic packaging were to be considered on a rational, objective scientific basis. NORSUS and NOFIMA have developed a decision-support tool for packaging based on the nature of a product and its need for protection, in order to establish where plastic packaging could be justifiable in the sustainability perspective, and feed into investigations of possible alternatives where it is not. The decision-support tool provides new opportunities for users to be more innovative and make more sustainable packaging choices informed by on this research-based knowledge. The tool addresses challenges that are not included in other packaging tools, but will require the user to have in-depth knowledge about their products, their products' protection needs and packaging options. The tool has been tested with 13 case products (fruit, vegetable and dairy products) with industry partners. Many activities to acquire knowledge about quantities and effects of plastic packaging losses, as well as design for recycling have been completed. Laboratory analyses of blue mussels and water samples associated with possible emissions of microplastics to water in Norway and The Netherlands have been carried out and presented at a project meeting. The amount of plastic packaging that can end up in the digestate and fertilizer products from biogas production from food waste has been quantified. Two papers have been published in scientific journals (Generating environmental sampling and testing data for micro- and nanoplastics for use in life cycle impact assessment and Using information flow analysis to establish key data gaps in the assessment of marine microplastic pollution). Two further papers will be submitted to peer review in scientific publications in 2023 and a book chapter has been published (Ecotoxicological Impacts of Micro- and Nanoplastics in Terrestrial and Aquatic Environments, in the book Microplastic in the Environment: Pattern and Process). Two peer-reviewed conference presentations have been made: How Can Risk Assessment Data for Micro- and NanoPlastics Contaminations Be Generated in a Way That Is Useful for the Development of LCIA Models? (SETAC Europe 31st annual meeting, 2021) and Microplastics in Norwegian agricultural soils via biogas digestate application and plastic mulching (Norwegian seminar on microplastics: Current knowledge status on sources, effects and risk, 2021). Selection of products with the highest potential for recycling (by material type, production quantities, potential source of recycled material etc.), as well as products that can be validated through the RecyClass tools and protocols was completed in 2021. Three selected products were evaluated through RecyClass and Grøntpunkt Norge tools. Two products went through the RecyClass protocol validation at Norner (flexible OPP films and rigid PP trays). Knowledge has been actively shared between the project and the MarILCA network (Integrating potential environmental impacts of marine litter into LCA, https://marilca.org/) in several MarILCA Scientific Committee meetings in 2021. The project owner is Bama and the partners are: Q-Meieriene, Gartnerhallen, De Paauw Recycling (Netherlands), NOPREC, ROAF, NoWaste!, VESAR, Lindum, NORSUS, NIVA, NOFIMA, NIBIO, Norner, Grønt Punkt Norge, Emballasjeforeningen, Bellona and FSLCI (Germany).

A decision-support tool has been developed for packaging based on the nature of a product and its need for protection, in order to establish where plastic packaging could be justifiable in the sustainability perspective, and feed into investigations of possible alternatives where it is not. The project partners have acquired crucial new knowledge on risks associated with using plastic and opportunities for improvement. The knowledge gained will drive ongoing developments in food product packaging. The project partners have raised awareness regarding trade-offs, i.e. that plastic packaging is not an all-or-nothing issue. The knowledge gained about microplastic emissions associated with food packaging plastic is currently being used to drive investigations into changes in waste management practice and to inform environmental authorities about the need for regulations with regard to discharges of microplastic. PacKnoPlast contributed to increased interdisciplinary collaboration between the research institutes involved, as well as international research collaboration. These collaborations have resulted in research reports and scientific publications within the project timeframe, as well as continuing collaboration afterwards. The project has resulted in a new strategic interest area for NIVA. The industry partners have reported increased knowledge and confidence about communicating about issues related to plastic packaging and microplastics.

The principal aim of the project is to reduce or eliminate plastic use in food packaging where this is advantageous in the sustainability perspective. This is to be achieved by acknowledging potential trade-offs between the negative environmental impacts of plastic packaging and the specific benefits it may bring, such as reductions in food waste compared to alternatives. Hence, reduction or elimination of plastic packaging is considered on a rational, objective scientific basis. The primary objective is to establish a decision-support tool for plastic packaging based on the relevant principles. Based on the nature of a product and the functional requirements of the packaging, the tool will establish where plastic packaging could be justifiable in the sustainability perspective, and feed into investigations of possible alternatives where it is not. The outcomes from the analyses will be documented, both individually and collectively, to establish a substantial body of knowledge on the (non-)justifiability of plastic packaging across the food sector. Research challenges include the need for detailed mapping of the plastics value chains (particularly the waste management aspects) and sophisticated measurements, for example on the propagation of microplastics. Developing the decision-support infrastructure and identifying packaging alternatives depends on leading-edge research conducted by sector-leading experts within the consortium. The project has enormous potential for enhancing sustainability of food packaging in practice, driving policy and strategic developments, shaping public discourse (in highlighting nuance in the issues) and broadening focus across the entire food value chain (e.g. via enhanced focus on food waste). The partners are: BAMA Gruppen, Q-meieriene, ROAF, De Paauw/Rodepa Plastics, Noprec, Bellona, Grønt Punkt Norge, Emballasjeforeningen, Gartnerhallen, No Waste!, FSLCI, Lindum, VESAR, Østfoldforskning, NIVA, NOFIMA, NORNER and NIBIO.