Polystyrene trays for meat are officially on their way out, with packaging giant Pact Group now trialling recyclable plastic meat trays in two of New Zealand's largest supermarkets.
After two years of product development, Pact Group subsidiary Alto Packaging developed, designed and manufactured a recyclable plastic tray to the supermarkets' specifications, and it is now in 19 of the country's New World and PAK’nSAVE stores.
Foodstuffs New Zealand sustainability manager Mike Sammons said finding a sustainable alternative to the ‘destined for landfill’ foam meat trays meant a product that looked better, worked just as well, was available at the same cost, and was 100 per cent recyclable at kerbside.
“We are determined to listen to our customers who have been clear in telling us it’s time to move towards packaging that's more environmentally friendly,” he said.
“Initial results from the trial are looking very promising, with 88 per cent of customers rating the overall performance of the packs as better than the traditional polystyrene packs, and a further 10 per cent rating performance on par with the traditional polystyrene packs.”
The new tray comprises 50 per cent recycled material and is accepted by every kerbside recycling scheme across New Zealand. As it's made of clear plastic – not black – it can be easily separated in the recycling centres.
“It’s also easy for customers to recycle,” Sammons said.
“All they have to do is give the used meat tray a quick rinse under the tap and pop it in the recycling bin.”
The tray also has the ability to capture fluid in the base, with ‘dimples’ in the bottom holding the fluid there even when tilted or turned upside down. This prevents spillage of meat fluids.
