WORLD CLEAN-UP DAY

In honor of world clean-up day, this article will discuss the detrimental impact that plastics and single use packaging have on the environment. The clean-up event commences on the 16th of September and unites individuals from 197 countries to pick up rubbish and clean up the planet. Despite commendable progress made to ban single use plastics in Victoria, there is still a long way to go in the war against waste. In the hypothetical event that all plastics are banned, the non-biodegradable nature of the material means that previously discarded plastics will remain on the earth long after we do, degrading into microplastics and contaminating soil and water sources. According to waste management world, the top plastic pollutants in 2022 were the Coco-Cola company, PepsiCo and Nestle. Whilst a large degree of responsibility falls on companies to create more sustainable practices, it is within consumer power to make informed choices and choose to recycle whenever possible. (2) It is important to understand Recyling labels so that the items you recycle meet their intended purpose. In Australia, the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) system is used. (3) These labels provide information on whether items are recyclable or not. The ARL’s also contain specific instructions on how to handle “conditionally recyclable” material which must meet criteria (removal of components like lids or specific disposal techniques eg. Foil to be scrunched up) to be considered recyclable. (3) Whilst you may think throwing a plastic bottle or strip of foil in the recycling bind is doing your bit to help the planet, without proper adherence to these labels you risk contaminating the recycling stream instead. The following are some ways you can reduce your waste Using re-usable containers Carrying a water bottle instead of buying plastic bottles Making an effort to recycle correctly whenever plastics are used Purchasing sustainable alternatives to gladwrap (beeswax paper is an excellent replacement) Having a tote bag handy when food or clothes shopping to limit the purchase of single-use bags Aim to purchase from brands that use recycled materials when bringing your own container/bottle is not possible At Be Fit Food we are committed to improving our sustainability through our packaging. We use the novel packaging material “evolve” by Faerch which is formulated from up to 80% of recycled plastic trays for all our meals. Compared to traditional, single use convenience- meal packaging, the liners and trays at Be Fit Food can be further recycled after consumer use to reduce landfill waste and carbon emissions. Additionally, the recycled material used in our liners is locally sourced from Australian waste to further minimize environmental impact. By choosing our frozen meals, you can enjoy delicious and nutritious options while contributing to sustainable practices. References: 1) McClure M. Everything you should know about single-use plastic [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2023 Aug 22]. Available from: https://www.greenpeace.org/africa/en/blogs/14052/everything-you-should-know-about-single-use-plastic/ 2) The Top Plastic Polluters 2022 [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Aug 22]. Available from: https://waste-management-world.com/materials/the-top-plastic-polluters/ 3) The Australasian Recycling label [Internet]. [cited 2023 Aug 22]. Available from: https://recyclingnearyou.com.au/arl/