What Is The Circular Economy? Let’s Rethink Packaging.

packaging for the circular economy

The earth’s resources aren’t unlimited. Our collective appetite for consumption and convenience is depleting resources faster than the earth can renew them.

Our world currently favours a ‘linear economy’ where materials are extracted, turned into products, and then thrown away. It’s time to move away from this model and toward a ‘circular economy’ – a more sustainable way of living where materials are treated as precious resources to be continually reused or regenerated. 

This article will help you understand the benefits of the circular economy, and more specifically, why it matters for the foodservice industry.

Let’s dive into…

What Is The Circular Economy? A Simple Definition.

Often referred to simply as ‘circularity’, the circular economy is a model of production that involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing or recycling existing materials for as long as possible. It also redefines economic growth by focusing on positive, society-wide benefits.

Leading circularity think-tank, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation defines the circular economy like this:

“In a circular economy, economic activity builds and rebuilds overall system health. It entails gradually decoupling economic activity from the consumption of finite resources, and designing waste out of the system. Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources, the circular model builds economic, natural, and social capital. It is based on three principles: design out waste and pollution; keep products and materials in use; and regenerate natural systems.” (source).

a diagram to symbolise the circular economy. The top icon represents packaging. The arrow then leads to a compost bin where it should be disposed of. The next arrow leads to a plant growing from the soil. The next arrow leads back to the packaging.a diagram to symbolise the circular economy. The top icon represents packaging. The arrow then leads to a compost bin where it should be disposed of. The next arrow leads to a plant growing from the soil. The next arrow leads back to the packaging.

Circular vs Linear Economy

So, what’s the difference between a linear and circular economy? 

In a linear economy, we use raw materials to create products that are thrown away after use. Resources are therefore used once, a few times at best, and then lost. It’s a ‘take, make, waste’ model. 

On the other hand, a circular economy is when materials and products are reused with no waste. An example of circularity is when waste glass is used to make new glass, or when plant-based compostable foodservice packaging is turned into nutrient-rich compost, which can then be used to grow more plants. 

A circular economy feeds back into its own development and closes the loop.

a detailed diagram of the circular economy. On the right, it shows the linear economy: raw materials > production > use > waste. On the left, it shows the circular economy in the shape of a circle. Raw materials > production > use > recycling.a detailed diagram of the circular economy. On the right, it shows the linear economy: raw materials > production > use > waste. On the left, it shows the circular economy in the shape of a circle. Raw materials > production > use > recycling.

Benefits of a Circular Economy

There are several benefits to the circular economy framework. 

  • Reduce Dependency on Finite Resources
    A circular economy will reduce the need to extract new and finite resources. Instead, materials and products are reused and extracted from waste material.
  • Better for the Environment
    A circular economy is a significant opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and encourage more sustainable resource, land and water use. This is a direct result of better design, reuse activities and regenerative practices.
  • Creates Jobs and Saves Money
    Reusing resources and materials brings important financial benefits. Businesses will potentially experience large savings, which in turn could drive lower prices for consumers. It’s also estimated that redesign and reuse activities can lead to job creation and re-localised business initiatives.
  • Better for the Community
    Regenerative practices are also an opportunity to consolidate communities by getting them involved in small-scale local activities, like permaculture communal gardens and repair shops. 

Circular Economy in the Food Industry. How Can Foodservice Brands Adopt Circularity?

Foodservice packaging represents a huge opportunity to move towards a circular economy model and close the loop on waste. Here are three simple ways foodservice businesses can introduce circular practices.

Produce Packaging From Plants

By doing this, businesses and consumers can compost and return packaging to the earth – also acting as a vehicle to curb food waste, a problem that contributes to around 8% of our global greenhouse gases (source). Compost can help improve soil quality, nourish plants and retain water, which can ultimately improve the health of the planet. 

Choose Reusables

Wherever practical and possible, adopt packaging that can be used again and again.

Introduce Organics Recycling

Businesses can partner with initiatives to collect and process their organic waste, like Compost Connect. This helps keep food waste out of landfill and turns it into nutrient-rich compost instead. 

At BioPak, our packaging is designed for the circular economy.

What Makes BioPak Packaging Circular?

BioPak packaging is made from responsibly sourced, rapidly renewable plant-based resources. After use, they can be disposed of in the organics recycling stream along with any remaining food scraps. Through the composting process, our products will rapidly biodegrade and return to the soil. 

However, there are still some circular economy challenges faced by the food industry. The key challenge is access to composting facilities. Let’s take a closer look.

What Happens if My Packaging Ends Up in Landfill?

The best place for our compostable packaging to end up is in your home compost or an industrial compost facility (refer to each specific product for relevant certifications and details on where it should go).

However, we recognise that commercial composting facilities aren’t yet widely available in many regions, so it’s inevitable that some of our products will end up in landfill or be incinerated.  

But regardless of how our products are disposed of, they’re designed to be a more sustainable option than conventional plastic (yes, even if they’re sent to landfill). That’s because they’re made from rapidly renewable, plant-based materials rather than finite fossil fuels.

Will Compostable Packaging Break Down in Landfill?

Compostable packaging won’t break down in landfill as well as it would in a composting facility. It will decompose eventually, but it’s a slow process that may take years. 

That’s because landfills aren’t designed to rapidly break down waste. In fact, food waste lingering in landfill emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Food waste produces 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions (source). 

Composting helps avoid these potent greenhouse gas emissions and instead creates a nutrient-rich compost that can be used to improve soil quality and reverse climate change. Not only that, compostable packaging acts as a vehicle to transport food waste – both compostable packaging and leftover food waste can be thrown into the same bin, keeping it out of landfill.

Is Compostable Packaging Still a Better Option if I Can’t Compost It?

a person placing compostable packaging, including cutlery, a bowl and a napkin, into a compost bin.a person placing compostable packaging, including cutlery, a bowl and a napkin, into a compost bin.

We also know that industrial composting facilities aren’t always available. So the natural question is — is compostable packaging still a better alternative if it ends up in landfill? 

The short answer is yes. Using certified compostable packaging is still better for a few reasons. One, it’s not made from fossil fuels like conventional plastic packaging. Two, it’s made from renewable materials, like corn and sugarcane.

But we understand if you’re sceptical about using single-use packaging. In fact, we encourage you to be. Not all packaging is created equally. 

BioPak produces both home compostable (AS5810 and EN13432) and industrially compostable (AS4736 and NF T51-800) foodservice packaging. 

In a perfect world, all of our packaging would be home compostable to make it easy to dispose of, but unfortunately, that technology isn’t available yet (it’s in the pipeline, just check out our Aqueous lining). 

As not all of our packaging can be disposed of in your backyard home compost bin, we know it’s our responsibility to work towards an end-of-life solution for our packaging. That’s why we started Compost Connect – a not-for-profit composting initiative connecting foodservice businesses to commercial composters. 

Learn more about how to dispose of your BioPak Packaging on our disposal page.

What Can You Do if You Don’t Have Access to Composting?

Perhaps you live rurally or your council isn’t providing a compost bin option. There are a few things you can do next. 

Write to Your Council

The best way to encourage your council to start composting is to write them a letter or email asking if there will be a composting program launching soon. Many councils often conduct composting trials before launching a complete program to all residents, so there’s always a chance you can be selected for this. 

Speak to Your Building Manager

If you live in an apartment, we understand that composting is a little harder to come by. Speak to your building manager about adding a compost bin and organic waste collection service. You can find a compost partner via the Compost Connect website (and even get the wheels in motion and obtain a quote from the provider). The best way to convince your building manager to add a compost bin is to obtain the current waste disposal costs and compare them with composting (removing organic waste from the general waste bin can sometimes reduce costs).

Sign Up to Compost Connect

If you’re a business, you can sign up for Compost Connect, a not-for-profit composting initiative connecting foodservice businesses to commercial composters. At BioPak, we started Compost Connect to take responsibility for where our products end up. Learn more about how to compost at your foodservice business.

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