Why I choose NOT to use plant-based packaging for my microgreens
I’ve been wanting to write a post about this topic for a while. It seems like the obvious answer doesn’t it? You’re running a highly environmentally sustainable business in microgreens production, so it makes sense that the packaging you use for your greens is also kind to the environment. Well, this is surprisingly not necessarily the case with punnets made from plants.
Firstly I want to make clear that I don’t think the perfect environmentally sustainable packaging currently exists for microgreens in the UK. I’ll talk through options though, tell you what I choose to use at my farm and let you make your own decision on what you’d like to use.
Plant-based packaging or PLA (Polylactic Acid)
This material is mostly made from corn starch and it’s purpose is to substitute oil based plastics. In terms of this article, this would be the bags or punnets we package our microgreens in for customers. This is great, in that plants are a renewable resource and not a fossil fuel. Another two huge environmental benefits of PLA packaging is that is requires significantly less energy and therefore produces fewer greenhouse gases in production AND it will eventually naturally break down so is classed as biodegradable.
These factors alone are (rightly so) what attracts eco-conscious business owners to using plant-based packaging in their business.
I however, currently choose not to use PLA punnets for microgreens in my business and here’s why:
(in order of importance for me)
To fully break down, PLA has to be treated in an industrial composting facility. It will not break down in home compost bins as the temperatures don’t get high enough. As of writing, industrial compost collections are not available domestically in the UK. As a result, PLA punnets could end up in landfill (incinerating them produces fewer toxic chemicals than plastics, but still not as good as recycling or better still, composting). As a business, I could collect all the punnets back (not always possible), then when I have a large amount (storage issues), I can pay for a truck to drive over to take them all to an industrial composting site (which ironically is just down the road from us). It’s an expense, a faff and not currently the best environmental solution in my opinion.
ALOT of corn is needed to produce PLA. Globally, corn is currently being grown in increasingly huge quantities (mostly for food and to go in industrialised food products) in massive mono culture, highly mechanised farms (particularly in the US). To produce this amount of a single crop in one space requires huge amounts of fertilisers and pesticides, which is currently having a detrimental effect on soil and water pollution. I don’t want to write you an essay on this topic, but I feel that the plants used to produce packaging must be grown / farmed sustainably for the pacakaging to be classed as environmentally sustainable. It’s not quite there yet.
It’s currently an expensive option per unit.
A screengrab from the Packaging & Labelling Module of my UK Microgreens Business Course.
Showing the pros and not-so-pros of the different types of UK packaging that can be used for microgreens.
The packaging I currently use instead of PLA at my farm:
1. rPET plastic punnets
I use these to package all my microgreens in that are going to customers who I don’t sell directly to or those who are just having a one off order. They are made from recycled plastic and are a PET 1 plastic which means they can be recycled in domestic recycling bins in the UK. They can also be reused as food containers or for other stuff, which I encourage on the label! I mostly use these for my distributor customer who delivers them throughout the region for us - ie: to customers who I don’t get to meet.
2. Reusable, clip top food containers.
This is my preferred method. I use robust, food safe, Tupperware containers with an air tight lid, for all my regular weekly customers who I sell directly to. Whether that’s my home customers or restaurants. As soon as I’ve built a relatioinship with them as a reliable customer, they get moved onto the Tupperware boxes that we swap and wash every week. This creates almost zero packaging waste.
Top tip for using this method - make sure you’ve labelled the boxes and lids with a waterproof vinyl sticker with your business name on so they come back to you. Also stress the importance for them to come back so the system works! In my experience microgreens customers tend to all be lovely and environmentally conscious and are reliable in returning containers for swapping.
My large Microgreens Salad reusable containers.
As a side note: I recommend against using biodegradable poly bags for your microgreens. They biodegrade well, but are not completely airtight, so your microgreens will wilt quickly in these. I’ve tried and tested it in shops! Oh and your micros will get squashed in bags if you or your customer have full fridges!
In April 2023, I don’t believe we yet have the perfect packaging for commercial microgreens production in the UK. Not one that ticks all the boxes anyway of:
✔️ Being truly environmentally sustaniable.
✔️ Performing perfectly as packaging for microgreens, ie: good protection, airtight and transparent.
✔️ Being a viable and efficient option in terms of business operation and sustainability.
I can definitely feel it coming though and, when it does, I’ll be the first to let you know you!
If you’re keen to learn more about getting your own microgreens business up and running, then have a peek inside my
FREE, 14-page UK Microgreens Mini Business Guide
It will also teach you how to grow your first 2 microgreens crops AND how to sell them to your customers!
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In your guide, you’ll get:
5 great reasons for starting a microgreens business in the UK right now
A basic equipment list
A step-by-step guide to growing and harvesting radish shoots and pea shoots, including UK pricing suggestions and profit margins.
A how-to guide to selling your microgreens to chefs, restaurants and your local community.