Smithfield Foods sets goals for plastic

Smithfield announces new packaging commitments

US-based meat processor Smithfield Foods has announced new commitments to reduce the use of recyclable packaging and plastic to reduce its impact on the environment.

By 2030, Smithfield, owned by China’s WH Group, aims to produce consumer packaging that is 90% recyclable, reusable and industrially compostable. There are also plans to cut the use of petroleum-based plastic in half.

The company has formed an internal cross-functional team to achieve its goals. The team will initially focus on identifying and evaluating substitute products for products currently packaged with polystyrene (PS) trays.

Both the new goals for recyclable packaging and plastic reduction are based on Smithfield’s initiative not to landfill waste.

The initiative is helping develop a plan to minimize all solid waste, 75% of which will be landfilled by 2025, by using or recycling materials that were once disposed of as trash.

Stewart Leeth, Smithfield Foods’ Chief Sustainability Officer, said, „The ongoing effort to innovate packaging in favor of materials that can be recycled, reused and composted is an important part of holistic, sustainable food production.

„As a pioneer in sustainability in the food industry, Smithfield recognizes the importance of continuing to find new ways to build on our ambitious commitments and reduce waste in production and operations.”

In 2019, Smithfield launched the Pure Farmland brand as part of a sustained effort. The Pure Farmland brand is a vegetable protein line with sustainable packaging and trays made from more than 50% recycled material.

Smithfield is also a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), which engages in sustainable packaging and related initiatives.

This article was originally titled „Just-Food Associate” NS packaging.