How Food Packaging Pollution is contributing too to damage our Oceans, Landfills, and Ecosystems – And What the EU is Doing About It
Food packaging plays a crucial role in preserving food quality, extending shelf life, and facilitating logistics. However, its environmental impact is significant, particularly when business models rely on non-sustainable packaging materials or when there is insufficient infrastructure to capture pollution. In the European Union (EU), where sustainability policies are at the forefront of global environmental protection, food packaging pollution remains a pressing issue, affecting marine environments, landfills, and ecosystems. Understanding these consequences and the policy measures in place can help consumers and industries drive systemic change toward more sustainable packaging solutions. Magno, with its focus on fostering innovation in sustainable food packaging, aims to draw attention to the urgent need to address the waste crisis in Europe and the world. By analyzing the sources of packaging pollution and the effectiveness of EU policies, this discussion highlights the ongoing battle to mitigate its environmental footprint.
The Scale of Food Packaging Pollution in the EU
As we cannot insist more, Food packaging accounts for nearly 40% of all plastic use in the European Union, making it the largest sector for plastic consumption. Each year, the EU produces over 29 million tonnes of plastic waste, with food packaging being one of the most significant contributors. While it may now seem irreplaceable that plastic only began being widely used for this purpose in the 1960s, it is not like this by “nature”. A more conscious approach can be taken from minute one. (Nearly 40 Percent of Plastic Demand Comes From the Production of Plastic Packaging, 2023) (Beghetto et al., 2023)
Meanwhile, despite efforts to improve recycling rates have been implemented, more than 60% of plastic packaging still ends up in landfills, incinerators, or directly polluting the environment. One of the main concerns is the sheer volume of single-use plastics. Despite policies banning certain items, such as plastic straws and cutlery, the food sector, particularly the fast-food and convenience food industries, continues to rely heavily on disposable materials. Many of these plastics, including multi-layered films, expanded polystyrene, and composite materials, are challenging to recycle and often end up as environmental waste. (Williams & Rangel-Buitrago, 2022)
The Consequences of Food Packaging Pollution in Oceans
The marine environment is one of the most visibly affected by food packaging waste. In European seas, particularly the Mediterranean, but also the North Sea, and Baltic Sea, food-related plastic items are among the most common pollutants. Discarded plastic bags, food wrappers, and beverage bottles frequently enter waterways due to littering, stormwater runoff, and inadequate waste management systems. Once in the ocean, plastics break down into microplastics due to sunlight exposure, heat, and wave action, allowing these tiny particles to infiltrate marine ecosystems. These microplastics are now present in more than 80% of European fish species studied, posing a direct threat to marine biodiversity. Sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals often ingest plastic, mistaking it for food, leading to malnutrition, poisoning, or death. Additionally, these pollutants enter the trophic chain disrupting the ecosystems and ultimately affecting human health. (Matavos-Aramyan, 2024)
The EU has taken steps to curb marine plastic pollution, including the Single-Use Plastics Directive, which aims to reduce disposable packaging waste and encourage reusable alternatives. Additionally, the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy sets ambitious recycling targets, requiring all plastic packaging in the EU market to be recyclable or reusable by 2030. However, enforcement remains a challenge, particularly in coastal areas where pollution levels remain high.
Photo by PixaHive, licensed under CC0
The Impact on Landfills and Waste Management Systems
Despite the EU’s commitment to waste reduction, landfills still receive a significant portion of food packaging waste. In countries with less developed recycling infrastructure, food packaging often accumulates in open dumps, leading to soil and plants contamination and air pollution. Even in countries with high recycling rates, a considerable amount of packaging waste is incinerated, contributing to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and environmental impacts.
Landfills also pose long-term environmental risks, as plastics degrade slowly, releasing harmful chemicals into the soil, plants and groundwater. Materials such as polystyrene and multi-layer plastics are particularly problematic because they resist decomposition and leach toxic substances into the environment. Additionally, microplastics and harmful substances, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), phthalates, and Bisphenol A (BPA) can be released. As landfill space becomes scarcer, the EU has intensified efforts to promote a circular economy, emphasizing reusability over disposal in packaging design. (Narevski et al., 2021)
To address these issues, the EU Waste Framework Directive sets strict targets for reducing landfill waste, requiring member states to limit municipal waste sent to landfills to 10% or less by 2035. This has spurred initiatives promoting compostable packaging, deposit-return systems for beverage containers, and producer responsibility schemes to ensure manufacturers contribute to waste management costs.
Photo by MPCA Photos, licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
The Impact on Terrestrial and Agricultural Ecosystems
Food packaging pollution is not only a problem in oceans and landfills; it also affects terrestrial and agricultural ecosystems with consequences for both biodiversity and human health . Improperly disposed plastic waste can contaminate farmlands, especially when microplastics infiltrate soil through irrigation systems or plastic mulch films used in agriculture. These particles can alter soil composition, affecting plant growth, microbial communities and water retention.
In urban environments, littered food packaging can clog drainage systems, leading to flooding and sanitation issues. Plastic waste accumulation in forests and rural areas poses a direct threat to wildlife, as animals may ingest plastic fragments or become entangled in waste.
To combat plastic pollution in terrestrial environments, the EU has strengthened Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, which require manufacturers to take financial and operational responsibility for the collection, sorting, and recycling of their packaging waste. Additionally, biodegradable and compostable packaging solutions are being relatively developed, because bioplastic still have problems, as alternatives to conventional plastics, although their large-scale adoption remains limited.
Photo by Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
The Role of EU Policy in Driving Change
The EU has been at the forefront of global efforts to address food packaging pollution, implementing several key policies to mitigate its impact. The European Green Deal, launched in 2019, aims to achieve zero pollution by 2050, with food packaging being a primary focus. The strategy includes bans on harmful materials, incentives for eco-friendly packaging, and increased investment in sustainable alternatives.
One of the most significant regulatory frameworks is the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive, which establishes recycling targets and mandates the use of recycled content in plastic packaging. Under this directive, member states must ensure that at least 65% of all packaging waste is recycled by 2025, with specific target of 50% for plastic packaging.
Moreover, initiatives such as the New Circular Economy Action Plan focus on designing packaging for durability and recyclability, discouraging single-use plastics in favor of refillable and reusable systems. These policies align with the efforts of the Magno Project, which collaborates with businesses, researchers, and policymakers to implement cutting-edge packaging solutions.
Consumer Action and Market Transformation
While EU policies provide a strong regulatory foundation, producer responsibility and consumer participation are essential in reducing food packaging pollution. Shoppers can contribute by choosing products with minimal or sustainable packaging, supporting brands that choose to offer recyclable or biodegradable materials, and properly sorting waste to enhance recycling efficiency.
The food industry is also responding to consumer demand for sustainable packaging. Many supermarkets and food manufacturers in Europe have introduced refill stations, compostable packaging, and reduced plastic use in private-label products as previous systems have failed. An example of this fail is the Ecoembes, spanish system of deposit, that including accusation of fake the figures have been prov3en innefective to achieve legal targets forcing to implement parallel systems. Major brands are investing in alternative materials, and business models, such as paper-based packaging and bio-based plastics to align with EU sustainability goals.
Photo by Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Conclusion
Despite ambitious EU policies aimed at reducing waste and promoting sustainability, the persistence of single-use plastics as business models and inadequate waste management systems continue to pose risks to biodiversity and human health. Additionally, consumers’ ability to make sustainable choices is often limited by income and convenience.
Without ignoring material limitations, Projects like Magno and STOPP, along with policy frameworks such as the Circular Economy Action Plan are pushing for transformative changes in the food packaging industry. However, success ultimately depends on collective action from governments, businesses, and consumers. By making informed choices, supporting sustainable packaging initiatives, and advocating for stronger waste management systems, individual consumers can play a crucial role in shaping a cleaner, more sustainable future for food packaging in the EU and beyond.
For those interested in spreading the word and exploring practical solutions to reduce microplastic exposure from food packaging, we invite you to explore our Practice Abstract on Reducing Microplastic Pollution in Food Systems. This document provides actionable insights for consumers, businesses, and policymakers on minimizing plastic contamination, transitioning to sustainable packaging, and supporting systemic change. Access the full document here: Practice Abstract 1
