What’s the Most Sustainable Takeaway Container? A Ranking.
Takeaway is here to stay – but what’s the most sustainable packaging? With 4.5 million takeaway food transactions every day in Australia, it’s clear we need to make better choices. But which takeaway containers are the most eco-friendly, and what should you consider when selecting them for your business?
Here’s a breakdown of common options, ranked from best to worst based on their environmental impact. For a deeper dive, check out The Guardian’s full article on sustainable food containers for more insights from industry experts.
1. Reusable Containers – The Gold Standard
We know, it sounds a little biased! But thorough research proves, reusable containers are the most sustainable choice. Even considering the constant washing and material production, reusable coffee cups, and takeaway boxes require fewer resources and generate less pollution over their lifecycle compared to disposables. The break-even point could be as little as two uses, or more than 100, depending on what they’re replacing, and our cups and containers are expected to last a minimum of 500 uses.
2. Paper and Foil Wraps, Pizza Boxes
For single-use, lighter is better. Paper wraps and pizza boxes use less material and lower emissions in production and transportation. Plus, pizza boxes are recyclable in most places.
3. Aluminum Boxes
Old-school foil boxes are lightweight and often made with recycled materials. They’re also widely accepted in recycling programs (when clean).
4. Recycled Containers
Look for containers made with post-consumer recycled content. It’s a small way to reduce demand for new materials and close the recycling loop.
5. Plastic Boxes and Clamshells
If you have to go with plastic, PET (#1) and HDPE (#2) plastics are the most recyclable and valuable to recyclers. But avoid black plastic – there’s almost no demand for it, meaning it often ends up as waste.
6. Polystyrene and Plastic-Coated Paperboard
Unfortunately, polystyrene (#6) and coated paperboard are almost always non-recyclable. They may prevent leaks, but they come at an environmental cost.
7. Compostable Food Packaging – Not What It Seems
Compostable packaging sounds like a dream, but in reality, it’s complicated. Growing plants just to make packaging uses a lot of water, energy, and pesticides. Most compostable containers don’t break down in home composts and Australia lacks enough industrial facilities as well as collection for it. They also confuse people, leading to recycling contamination. So, sandly, compostable packaging is often worse for the environment than the papers and plastics it’s meant to replace (and cost you a lot more money!)
Final Takeaway
It’s important to consider the lifecycle of your packaging and choose the option with the least environmental impact. The most sustainable takeaway choice of all is reducing waste at the source.
Reusable packaging isn’t just the most eco-friendly choice—it’s also the more affordable one with devolver. Plus, implementing reusable takeaway packaging at your business is easier than you might think, and we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Learn how to get started with devolver here.
