Reflecting on 2023 and Shaping a Sustainable 2024

As we bid farewell to the remarkable year that was 2023, BioPak is thrilled to share last year’s highlights. From new product releases to impactful collaborations with organisations like MedEarth and the successful launch in Hong Kong, it's been a year of growth, purpose, and positive change. However, instead of the typical New Year's resolutions, we're introducing the BioPak Ins and Outs list, a set of actionable steps that will help us all make a difference in 2024.

BioPak is more than a product or a business - it's a passion. With your support, we are disrupting the current ‘take, make, waste’ model and leading the way towards a truly circular economy that puts people and the planet first.

In our commitment to environmental sustainability, we've transitioned from carbon neutrality to allocating 1% of profits to our Emission Reduction Plan. Starting in 2024, BioPak clients will receive a BioPak Carbon Report for transparent reporting and personalised tips to reduce their carbon footprint by choosing BioPak.

Our profit-for-purpose initiative, the BioPak Give Back Fund, continues to make a meaningful impact. To date, we've invested $4,735,014 in projects like planting and protecting 90,947 trees with Rainforest Rescue and providing 230,674 meals through OzHarvest. In 2023, we've partnered with MedEarth, who recover usable medical supplies and equipment destined for landfill and redistribute them as humanitarian aid throughout developing countries. BioPak's support will positively impact 133,515 lives. 

See our collective 2023 Positive Impact below.

To kick off the BioPak Ins and Outs list, we encourage you to be an informed consumer. Understanding the meaning of certifications will guide you to purchase products and services that are sustainably sourced, ethically produced and environmentally friendly. It’s also important to understand the disposal logos on products and follow the instructions. Take a moment to check for verifiable labels, ensuring your choices align with the circular economy values. 

Learn more about BioPak certifications here.

As consumers, it's undeniable that we can be a rather wasteful bunch. Just think about how many times you've purchased more than you needed, then tossed half of it in your rubbish bin. Unfortunately, most of our waste goes into landfill or is incinerated, ultimately contributing to harmful greenhouse gas emissions. To top it off, some of our waste ends up in our waterways and oceans, posing severe threats to marine life. However, by pausing to reflect and implementing a little more thoughtfulness into our daily routines, we can collectively shift towards lifestyles that align with the principles of the circular economy. 

So what can you do? Here are 9 tips on how to use the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle practices in your everyday life:

• Reduce by only buying what you need, and using what you buy.
• Don’t throw it, upcycle it and reuse it.
• Avoid items that are heavily packaged like fruit and vegetables.
• Say no to plastic bags and non-recyclable items.
• Don’t buy cheap non-durable items, invest in items that will last, and support locally made if possible.
• Buy products with refillable packaging.
• Gift experiences or workshops as presents instead of items that will end up in the bin or regifted.
• Always follow recycling labels and dispose of items correctly.
• Dispose of your food waste in the Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) bin (if you have access to one) or try home composting it.

Your voice is powerful! Speak up against plastic waste, advocate for packaging regulations, help increase recycling rates, and call for nationwide composting infrastructure. Chat to your friends, neighbours, and colleagues, encouraging them to speak up too. By collectively raising our voices, we can drive action for positive change and foster a sustainable future.

Read about the Environment Minister setting a new course for sustainable packaging in Australia here.

Your choices have a profound impact on the planet. Voting with your wallet means you can opt-in for and support environmentally friendly products. By prioritising these options, you contribute to a growing demand for and encourage companies to adopt responsible practices and sell sustainable products.

Beyond personal choices, making a positive impact extends to charitable contributions and volunteering. Supporting a charity contributes to environmental and social causes that create lasting change. But, if donating money is not an option for you, you can donate your time, effort and skills by volunteering. The cherry on top, volunteering can help you make friends, learn new skills, advance your career, provide a sense of purpose and reduce stress.

BioPak, as a profit-for-purpose business, proudly supports leading charities like Rainforest Rescue, OzHarvest, KiwiHarvest, Shelter, and MedEarth through our Give Back Fund.

Everyone is becoming more aware of their impact on the planet. But with that, there has been a spike in businesses using vague buzzwords and claims like “green” and “eco-friendly”. This is greenwashing – a practice of making exaggerated or false environmental claims. At BioPak, we are committed to taking a stand against greenwashing and promoting transparency and accountability in the business sector.

Learn more about greenwashing here.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of over 4,700 man-made chemicals being used across various industries. PFAS additive is widely used for oil resistance in products ranging from carpets and dental floss to non-stick pans and nail polish. Unfortunately, it doesn’t break down naturally, persisting in the environment with potential adverse effects. Within the takeaway foodservice sector, where certain meals demand more grease resistance, the use of PFAS in packaging has been commonplace. Whilst PFAS is considered food-safe and approved by legislators to use around the world, there is a global movement towards banning the chemicals. At BioPak, we are phasing out added PFAS from production and will be the first in Australia to have a complete range with no added PFAS in 2024.

Learn more about PFAS here.

In the era of convenience and takeaway meals, the issue of recycling confusion has become a pressing concern. Despite our best intentions, the abundance of dirty food containers poses a challenge for the recycling industry. The primary culprit is food contamination, as most people don’t clean their takeaway packaging before tossing it into the recycling bin. If a bit is contaminated, it goes straight to landfill or incineration. 

At BioPak, we advocate for a solution that not only looks at recycling contamination but also addresses the broader issue of food waste. Composting is the ideal end-of-life option for food takeaway packaging, allowing both certified compostable packaging and food waste to be composted together without contaminating each other’s recycling. This not only eliminates the methane emissions associated with food in landfill but also generates nutrient-rich fertiliser to enhance soil quality. 

While the ideal scenario involves using Food Organics & Garden Organics (FOGO) bins, we recognize the limitations in their availability and acceptance of certified compostable packaging. We believe that a consistent national approach to composting both food waste and compostable packaging would make a world of difference to help with the correct disposal of our waste, further the circular economy and help fight climate change.

Are you a food business looking to compost your food waste? Visit Compost Connect.

A staggering 91% of the plastic produced worldwide isn't recycled. And everyday items like the ubiquitous plastic bag can take up to 1,000 years to decompose, which means that every single piece of plastic ever produced still exists today! The issue goes beyond the disposal of plastic; it’s the production too. Conventional plastics, derived from finite fossil resources, contribute to pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and the global climate crisis. 

When it comes to single-use plastic in the foodservice industry, we’ve got a big problem on our hands. Within the foodservice sector, the problem lies in the food contamination of recyclable plastic packaging. Contaminated recycling bins end up in landfill or incineration. That’s why we believe that composting is the perfect end-of-life option for foodservice packaging. Packaging and food waste can all go in one bin to be composted.

Recycling vs. composting: Which is better for the environment? Read here.

Sending food waste to landfill might seem harmless at first glance. You might think it’s natural and it will just break down, right? The reality, however, is very different. Food waste needs aeration, moisture and living microorganisms to correctly biodegrade. Food waste in landfill releases methane while decomposing, a greenhouse gas that is, on average, 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. According to the film ‘Wasted! The Story of Food Waste’, a head of lettuce can take 25 years to decompose in landfill. With roughly a third of the world's food ending up as waste, this issue demands urgent attention. 

Enter composting, a viable, cost-effective and sustainable alternative to food waste going to landfill. When organic waste is broken down into a nutrient-rich fertiliser in a compost bin, we convert what would be deemed as waste into a valuable resource. Composting not only minimises carbon emissions but also fosters healthy plant growth, conserves water, prevents soil erosion, and aids in habitat restoration. Embracing composting is a powerful step towards a more sustainable future. Here is a handy Composting for Beginners resource.

As we step into 2024, BioPak encourages everyone to adopt the Ins and Outs list, taking small yet impactful steps towards the circular economy and a more sustainable future. Together, we can make a big difference by tweaking our habits and making informed choices. Here's to a year of positive change and a brighter future!