An Overview on the Environmental Impact of Food Packaging

Today, a wide range of traditional materials are used for food packaging applications and new packaging materials are constantly being developed. Although food packaging materials exert positive effects on the environment by preventing spoilage and reducing food waste, after use, their disposal can remarkably affect the environment especially if the 3Rs approach is not followed. The aim of this Chapter is to give an insight on the environmental impacts of packaging materials intended for food use throughout their life cycle. The highest contributions to the packaging waste were supplied by paper/paperboard (50.8%) that also shows the highest recycling rate together with plastics (about 73%). The Regulatory Frameworks establish minimum recycling targets for various packaging materials. The packaging environmental impacts, evaluated through the application of quali-quantitative methods such as LCA, eco-design and carbon footprint, must be accompanied by the evaluation of the impacts of the food packaging system. Some new packaging solutions contribute to various impact categories more than the conventional ones but, being able to considerably prevent food losses, they minimize the environmental impact of the contained food.