One of the biggest criticisms of eating meat today is the packaging it comes in. Styrofoam, which can take anywhere from 500 years to the end of time to decompose fully, is one of the worst materials for the environment—but all of the meat products you find in the grocery store come packaged in it. Facing increased pressure from consumers to find a more sustainable alternative to packaging, Perdue meat farm has developed a new meatpacking foam that won’t make it to a landfill or compost pile at all—because it dissolves in your sink.
The company said in a statement recently that it will begin packaging its meat products in sustainable packaging. Perdue previously promised to reduce its carbon footprint by 30% over the course of the next two years—a promise that it’s working to fulfill with this new packaging.
New meat packaging is made with corn starch, not Styrofoam.
Made with corn starch, the new dissolving foam represents a major breakthrough in sustainability efforts in an industry that is already considered to have one of the strongest carbon footprints on the planet. Many consumers have opted to go vegan in order to combat the carbon footprint caused by meat consumption, while others have merely cut back or opted to purchase meat from locally sourced farms that don’t use resources in the same ways that larger farms do.
Perdue Farms, one of the larger meat suppliers in the United States, represents one of the larger companies with a heavier footprint. But it knows that consumers are concerned, so it looked for ways in which it could reduce its footprint in new ways. Compostable and dissolvable packaging will likely help the company make a major dent in its goal, but there is still more to be done. Other services like direct to consumer meat delivery will also make a dent—as the company can lower its production by selling and shipping only what its consumers request.
Perdue Farms awarded GreenCircle Zero Waste to Landfill Certification.
Since the launch of its new packaging, though, Perdue has qualified for new green certifications that make it one of the greener meat companies in the United States. The company announced in a press release last month that its commitment to reducing its waste has earned it the GreenCircle Zero Waste to Landfill certification.
This certification is awarded to companies that make a tremendous effort to slow their environmental impact by investing in sustainable business practices. Zero waste packaging is one of those efforts, and shows that Perdue Farms is a recognized brand that has eliminated significant amounts of waste in U.S. landfills.
The new Perdue Farms packaging is made from a water-soluble corn starch and is shipped in compost-friendly packaging. This allows consumers to cut back on their waste significantly by ordering meat directly to their door, and disposing of the packaging in an eco-friendly way.
