Detpak launches Australia’s first PFAS-free compostable foodservice packaging range

12 Dec 2023 --- Australia-based packaging company Detpak has unveiled a new “Vanguard” range from compostable foodservice company Eco-Products, including a collection of compostable plates, bowls and containers. The release makes Detpak the first Australian business to offer PFAS-free, compostable packaging, according to the company. 

Vanguard is made from renewable molded sugarcane fiber. The innovation aligns with growing concerns about the environmental and health risks of PFAS.

Keith Bishop, Detpak’s product and brand general manager, emphasizes the urgency of addressing these concerns: “While understanding about the human health effects of long-term, low-level PFAS exposure is still developing, there is global concern about the persistence and toxicity of these chemicals in the environment.”

Sustainable packaging ahead of regulation
Earlier last year, Packing Insights reported on the development of Eco-Products on Vanguard. In the development of the products, the innovators expanded their screening processes and adopted a comprehensive approach to avoid substitutes for PFAS that pose similar concerns, refraining from “regrettable substitution.” 

The plant-based takeaway packaging is inspired by the need to minimize environmental footprint and deliver change for good.As the exclusive retailer of the Vanguard range in Australia, Detpak’s move is in sync with its global sustainability objectives, including adhering to the Sustainable Packaging Guidelines set by the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, which aims to detect and eliminate PFAS in Australian packaging.

This launch comes ahead of the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water’s plan to enact national controls for PFAS chemicals. Scheduled for implementation in 2025, these measures under the Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management Standard will enforce bans, restrictions, and risk management protocols for importers, manufacturers, and users of PFAS chemicals.

Innovation for better health and environment
Growing awareness of the challenges related to PFAS accumulation and exposure has resulted in widespread recognition that contamination from these chemicals can lead to emerging health and environmental threats.

According to scientific studies, PFAS has been associated with reduced fertility, heightened risk of specific cancers, developmental delays and immune system effectiveness. Latest research also revealed critically endangered dolphins in Australian waters containing the world’s highest recorded levels of PFAS, potentially negatively impacting the animal.

The Vanguard range, now accessible nationwide in Australia as a PFAS-free packaging product, is contributing to the setting of a new global standard for innovative fiber-based materials in the industry.

In a similar vein, Notpla, a UK-based company specializing in plastic alternatives for packaging using seaweed, has garnered recognition from the Dutch government for its fiber-based materials. 

In a parallel development, Celebration Packaging’s EnviroWare range is now SGS certified as PFAS-free. This white bagasse fiber packaging maintains the visual appeal of the previous range while providing consumers with sustainable alternatives.

By Sichong Wang