The topic of circular economy is increasingly entering companies' vocabulary, as they recognise the need to move beyond the traditional production model (linear economy) through new commitments and new objectives. In the area of packaging in particular, industry operators are proposing various solutions and systems to reduce the materials used, while companies are focusing their attention on offering recyclable or reusable packaging. This challenge closely concerns the food industry, for which plastic is not always easy to replace. It is, in fact, a lightweight packaging material that is, in many respects, economical and effective. Unfortunately, at a global level, its recycling is not yet a widespread practice: in 2019, only 18 per cent of plastic was recycled, according to World Economic Forum data. Moreover, more than 30 per cent of plastic packaging escapes collection systems altogether, generating significant economic costs that should be considered among the negative externalities.

According to the report The new plastic economy by the Ellen MacArthur foundation, in 2016 a quarter of the world's plastic was used for product packaging. Packaging helps to keep products safe and preserve their quality, extends their shelf life and helps to limit food waste.
Packaging and labelling are also a tool for dialogue and transparency with the consumer, a fundamental element for finding the information needed to make informed purchasing choices.

The challenges of the food system for sustainable packaging

In a more sustainable food system, the role of companies in promoting easily recyclable packaging — so as to give it a second life — is therefore fundamental. On supermarket shelves, by contrast, it is possible to find pasta packets that evoke a certain environmental awareness, attracting consumers with a studied "rustic" graphic style. It can happen, however, that precisely those packages are made from laminated and inseparable materials, and therefore cannot be sorted for separate collection. Far removed, then, from the concept of circular economy that they visually evoke.

It is therefore very important that consumers also learn to recognise which packaging is more sustainable. Single-material packaging (in paper, cardboard, or all-plastic) can be sorted and recycled without any issues.

The example of Pasta Garofalo

One example comes from the choices made by Pastificio Garofalo. For the supply of packaging materials, the company draws on thirteen companies, all Italian. For almost fifteen years, Pastificio Garofalo has chosen recycled paper for its secondary packaging, obtained from the pulping of separately collected waste from companies and citizens in Campania, and certified greenboxX®. These materials are subject to a life cycle assessment (LCA) and are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), meaning they come from responsibly managed forests. In 2019 alone, in producing the 5,072 tonnes of cardboard used, 405 tonnes of CO2 emissions were avoided (compared to an equivalent production from virgin fibres), with a saving of 680,137 cubic metres of water and 7,322,495 kWh of energy.

For the primary packaging of the Garofalo line, on the other hand, the company considers the use of 100 per cent recyclable transparent plastic to still be the optimal choice for guaranteeing and preserving the chemical and physical characteristics of the pasta, and thus ensuring that customers receive a product unchanged from production. It is also a symbolic choice, in that transparency is a company value and transparent packaging makes the contents of products recognisable on supermarket shelves, allowing shoppers to see immediately what they are buying.

The search for innovative solutions and materials for packaging continues

Aware of the impact that plastic has on the environment, the company does not abandon its search for alternative solutions. In the past, for example, it experimented with and analysed the costs and benefits of packaging in PLA (Polylactide or Polylactic Acid), a new polymer derived from maize. PLA, which has very high transparency and excellent thermoformability, limits CO2 emissions thanks to an eco-compatible production process and non-polluting combustion, is completely biodegradable and degrades rapidly into compost.
However, the trials made evident a non-negligible gap between the cost of this packaging material and the cost of the product it contains.

For this reason, the project was shelved. At present, therefore, using a 100 per cent recyclable plastic packet remains the best choice for the company, accompanied by educating consumers to recycle it correctly at the end of its use in the plastic bin or, even better, to reuse it as a container for other foods.