Bio degradable plastic food packaging

SmoothyG

Hi All

Im a new organic veg/fruit farmer and have been trying for weeks now to find a source of bio degradable bags and cartons to pack my produce in for the farmers market.

So far the cheapest options (which are actually presentable) have worked out at €0.28 per unit. which makes them pretty much unusable due to the cost.

I already use the carrier bags which still work out a €0.03 per bag, way way way more than conventional bags.

Has anyone found a reasonable solution?

Anyone care to comment on why there is no subsidies available for this?

Cheers GDK

two wheels good

Depending on exactly what type of bio-deg material is used in the packaging the benefits are only marginal.
Bio-deg plastic packaging is still single-use plastic. The ideal approach is to reduce\avoid single use plastic.

How is the user going to dispose of them? It's likely they'll end-up in land-fill or an incinerator. Bio-deg often require separating and certain types require special treatment for ideal conditions to degrade.

I wouldn't consider subsidies of bio-deg plastics to be good use of public money.

Is it possible to use paper or card bags and containers. (A particular bug-bear of mine is mushrooms in plastic containers. Mushrooms last longer in cardboard and paper)

Jellybaby1

Back in the 50's and 60's when my mum send me to the greengrocer for fruit or vegetables, I was sent with a good old shopping bag, tartan it was, or maybe a basket. When I went to the coal merchants, I also brought a bag with me. If someone didn't have a bag, which was unusual at the time, a paper bag was provided except in the case of something heavy like potatoes or coal when a sack was offered. I still carry a little foldable bag in my handbag these days. Do people not bring bags with them to the farmers' markets?

L1011

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

Back in the 50's and 60's when my mum send me to the greengrocer for fruit or vegetables, I was sent with a good old shopping bag, tartan it was, or maybe a basket. When I went to the coal merchants, I also brought a bag with me. If someone didn't have a bag, which was unusual at the time, a paper bag was provided except in the case of something heavy like potatoes or coal when a sack was offered. I still carry a little foldable bag in my handbag these days. Do people not bring bags with them to the farmers' markets?

People usually don't bring bags anywhere which is the problem. We probably have one of the highest levels of bringing bags to shops in the world due to the high levy, but even then its more that people take entire trolleys out with them and throw it in to the car...

When I go to my usual greengrocer I end up getting multiple single-use plastic bags - purely to seperate the veg for weighing and pricing. There's a practical use to seperating veg as well as most people actually seeming to want it.

I've had to stop my partner putting a single head of garlic or pepper in a bag before, that is how ingrained the idea that stuff is priced per bag is.

For the OP - I suspect that rather than a subsidy, there'll end up being a levy on styrofoam trays, film and bags instead...

SmoothyG

Thanks for the input.

Ive been testing out the bio degradable plastic in my composting.

I put one into my household food compost heap and its still intact after 4 weeks but looks to be weakening. ( or just dirty)

I put one in my aerobic 21 day compost on the farm and it has completely broken down after the 21 days, nothing there at all.

So it would appear that heat probably plays a role.

TBH my intentions were just to prevent being a source of more plastic bags, whether its in the landfill or the ocean or whatever.

Regarding the use of cardboard and paper, which is also ridiculously expensive. I do use them wherever possible, but some products, mostly leaves like lettuce, kale, microgreens etc (which happen to be 80% of my sales lose moisture to the card and wilt quicker. I don't really like the idea of using coated card.

Jellybaby1

Good test there SmoothyG, sounds impressive all right. If I happen to still have the bag in my kitchen bin after two days I find it is already disintegrating and could find a couple of holes forming at the bottom. Usually the bag is full after a day and a half and is taken to the brown bin earlier. However, I'm still a bit iffy about the bio-degradable bags that I use for my brown bin. To my eye it is still a form of plastic. Even if a compost heap can 'melt' it to nothingness, can we really be sure there is no residual plastic which is not visible to the naked eye? I have a feeling one day we may learn exactly what we've planted in the ground.

tvjunki

It is mad when they say biodegradable but could take 12months to breakdown.

Why don't you first put up a sign on your stall or Facebook page etc for people to bring their own bags? State your reason and your regulars would love it.

If you have boxes from elsewhere (other stores)and they are buying a few things then use that.
You would think paper bags would be cheaper. some veg last a lot longer in bags. Some of your customers will help and bring their own.
What about putting your lettuce in one big box. Cover with film and as your customer asked for it take one out and keep sealed? Don't know if it will work but it is worth a try.
Personally I would buy from you than a supermarket knowing your plans. Where are you based?
There is a company that does home delivery of veg each week might be something you could get into. I think they are based on Galway and the also do organic oils, teas, etc. Sorry for slightly going off topic.

two wheels good

Bio-degradeable and compostable are different categories. Then there's bio-plastics as opposed to fossil-fuel based.

A radio report I heard recently mentioned a company in Cork producing packaging from corn starch. I couldn't recall the name but a websearch produced:
www.down2earthmaterials.ie/our-products/

https://ecoland.com/2/41 looks interesting too. Based in Dublin. I expect you've found them already.

Personally, I'd like to be able to bring my own container (also plastic of course) and have the retailer zero the weighing scales accordingly. I expect I'd get some funny looks. The fish monger in my local farmer's market is very impressed when I turn-up with a tupperware and decline his plastic bag.
That's just a BTW comment. I know that's not a solution for your problem. Well done for trying to avoid the easy quick and dirty approach.

Graces7

Packing especially carrots in plastic... They have been power washed and then sealed in bags and go mouldy so fast. Have to take them out as soon as you get them home and even then... The ones with leaves are so much dearer..

New Home

two wheels good wrote: »

Bio-degradeable and compostable are different categories. Then there's bio-plastics as opposed to fossil-fuel based.

A radio report I heard recently mentioned a company in Cork producing packaging from corn starch. I couldn't recall the name but a websearch produced:
www.down2earthmaterials.ie/our-products/

I think it's called Mater-Bi, at least that's one of its commercial names. It's not plastic at all, it's a material that looks like it even though it's not. IIRC, it breaks down faster when there are sunlight, heat and humidity together, but one, or more of these in combination, would also work.

OP, try and look on the bin-bags shelf in the supermarket (maybe even Lidl or Aldi), sometimes you'll find rolls of those compostable bags in there, you can still use them for your food, they're just packaged differently.