W:
www.universitybusiness.co.uk/news/catering
As life – for students and everyone else – comes at a faster pace, eating on the go becomes increasingly the norm. The coff ee carried from the café and the salad baguet e bought from the sandwich shop are part of many students’ daily expenditure, but when both have been consumed, the need for disposal arises. Thankfully, a dazzling array of environmentally-friendly choices exist for the packaging used for such food, solutions which are far from a load of rubbish… Manchester University’s catering
sustainability policy includes an endeavour to minimise waste by promoting ‘hug mugs’ and other reusable takeout options to reduce landfi ll, a move towards biodegradable packaging and engagement with suppliers to cut down on packaging. Reduce, reuse and recycle initiatives include paper, plastic and can recycling in all outlets – 28 across all sites plus nine residential halls.
TRI-STAR KEY RANGE
"The recession has not quelled the desire for environmentally-friendly solutions, but it has dampened sales" Martin Smith, executive chef at the
University’s catering department, said: “We source all our packaging products from Tri-Star, everything from cups to takeaway boxes to event catering and are currently buying several hundred thousand units annually. For items like sandwiches, the sandwich company would source their own packaging but we specify within the tender what we want them to use. To move to total biodegradable products will cost an extra £25, 000 per annum, however some of this will be off set by less waste going to landfi ll and reduced cost in waste charges. We are working towards as eco-friendly a position as possible and hopefully it will all be in place by September 2014.” Claire Hodge, marketing
manager at London Bio Packaging is fi nding universities are increasingly keen to be kind. “Interest is growing in eco-packaging rather than packaging using materials such as polystyrene, with a number of student unions whose bars and cafes use our bagasse plates, pots for chips and clamshells for
food like burgers and fi sh and chips. White bagasse is made from fi bres left over when sugar syrup is extracted from sugar cane. Our biodegradable coff ee cups, napkins made from 100% recycled paper and
lit le brown paper bags, also made from recycled paper are also popular.” For universities such as Manchester,
Tri-Star Packaging consider all aspects of conscientious catering; MD Kevin Curran said: “We supply a vast range of eco-friendly packaging and disposables to UK universities, including recycled, recyclable, compostable and biodegradable products. Tri-Star supplies packaging and disposable ranges from sustainable material, including cardboard, bagasse, bamboo, corn starch, responsibly sourced wood, palm and recycled and recyclable PET. Each has its place, based on the waste collection stream in operation. The most environmentally-friendly packaging is that disposed of through the correct waste chain, otherwise its green credentials are wasted. We pride ourselves on our consultative approach and we are working with a number of universities to reduce their packaging waste and divert it away from landfi ll. Used packaging should be regarded not as waste, but as a resource with value that should be recovered where possible and sent for recycling or composting.” While items kind to the environment
won’t cost the earth, their higher price has been a factor during the recession. “Customers like the idea of eco-friendly products, so requests for them are growing, but this is not always matched by demand and actual sales. The recession has not
quelled the desire for environmentally- friendly solutions, but it has dampened sales. The consumer may want eco packaging, but he/she does not want to pay extra for it and our clients often do not want to absorb the cost either.” Adrian Prat is marketing manager of
Benders Paper Cups, supplied through third parties to universities. He believes that when the kinder option is adopted it must be promoted. “If the eff ort is being made and the green brief is fulfi lled it must be highlighted, which is very easily communicated through branding of the same. Those in the catering and vending industries can promote traceability and accreditation, using all material and evidence supplied by the manufacturers. Make use of QR codes and talk about your environmental policies on the actual packaging itself. If you’re green, whatever the shade, then shout about it!” Demand is driving product development.
“Our Elementi range (of which the Verde design is part) was designed to satisfy the foodservice industry’s need to provide an eco-friendly alternative to standard paper cups. Its inner lining is made from a biopolymer coating derived from products such as corn. The entire process, from tree to cup production, has been created to reduce harmful environmental eff ects, further supported with the use of water-based inks for the printing of all Benders’ cup designs.” Conventional packaging uses mixed materials such as card, plastic, foam,
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