4 PIECES OF FOOD PACKAGING TO AVOID

INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Greenpeace recently highlighted the rise of individually wrapped produce by asking supporters to send in images of fruit wrapped in plastic. There’s an argument to be made that plastic packaging helps reduce food waste by keeping some produce fresher for longer, but buying loose is the way to go. However, consider how quickly you’ll eat it and how long it will last.

PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES

Plastic bottles are now the thirdmost common item of rubbish found in oceans, closely followed by plastic bottle caps. Switching to reusable bottles (download apps like Re ill or Tap to show you where to re ill when you’re out) can help cut down on the 594,000 tonnes of bottles we throw away annually. Find our review of the best reusable bottles at bbcgoodfood.com.

BLACK PLASTIC FOOD TR AYS

When plastic is recycled, sorting machines use infrared lasers to identify its type. However, black plastic makes identi ication di icult, so it’s generally not recycled. A new type of black plastic that can be picked up by infrared is being rolled out, but check if your local council can process this before putting any black plastic (such as takeaway sushi trays) in your recycling bin.

FOOD POUCHES

From baby to pet food, pouches have become a staple in our weekly shop. But, they’re very hard to recycle as they’re made of several layers that need to be separated irst. The result? Billions end up in land ills every year. Most councils don’t recycle them, but some can now be collected and recycled by Terracycle (terracycle.co.uk).