Moe, J. 2020, Packaging for Produce Safety and Sustainability, Desert Farming Initiative, University of Nevada, Reno, Blog

Last season DFI started making the switch from single-use plastic packaging and bags to more sustainable options. In doing so, produce safety questions arose and prompted us to examine the tradeoffs between safe food and sustainability. Are reused packaging and containers more of a pathogen and allergen risk than single-use? How do we weigh the costs of time, water and washing supplies when deciding whether we make the switch to reusable containers? Questions continue to arise, but here is what we found out last season.

  • New packaging that is used only once on the farm is reliably clean and safe if stored properly (protected from pests, covered, and kept off the floor and away from walls and doors).
  • Single use plastic mesh pints, bags and waxed boxes are not recyclable via Waste Management in northern Nevada. Though there are recycling drop off sites for some plastic bags. We replaced those mesh pints with compostable paper pint boxes and are testing out alternatives to plastic bags and box liners. Compostable bags were flimsy and hard to handle when moist; the biodegradable bag options are much stronger, but may not actually break down as claimed.
  • Switching to reusable packaging and containers, such as sturdy crates, bins and reused boxes obviously reduces waste. However, reused containers are a produce safety concern. The Produce Safety Rule (section 112.116) requires that steps be taken to ensure that food contact surfaces are clean. That means washing with soap and water, rinsing, if possible sanitizing, and drying reused containers – or using a new, clean liner. To make that an efficient process, we had to reorganize a bit. This included clearly separate storage areas for new vs. used boxes and dirty vs. clean containers, washing logsso everyone on the farm is aware of the status of food contact surfaces, and a simple masking tape label on every container that goes into the cooler (harvest date, crop, and weight). Training and communication is key if multiple people are working at different times on the farm!
  • We found that the cost for paper pints is lower than a recyclable plastic clamshell, but higher than the green mesh pint (we sourced those from GTG Packaging and Sambrailo). Biodegradable box liners are also lower in cost than less sustainable options. Some good news there. • We sold cloth market bags and switched to compostable produce bags to reduce plastic use at markets and farm stands, and used collapsible/reusable insulated boxesto deliver CSA produce (from which members would unload and repack in their own bags). Reusable containers can take up a lot of room in the WASH HOUSE and collapsible options help!

Would you be interested in taking a PLASTIC WISE FARM CHALLENGE to work with us toward sustainability while ensuring produce safety?

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