TIPA recognizes “absolute support” for compostables in UK politics amid MP survey revelations

10 Mar 2020 --- Ninety-eight of 100 surveyed UK government MPs agree that “compostable packaging alternatives can be part of the solution to the plastic crisis,” with just 1 percent disagreeing and 1 percent undecided. This is the main takeaway from a new poll conducted by market research company Survation. It also found that 86 percent of the MPs recognized a need to invest more in infrastructure to facilitate compostables at end of life. Compostable flexible packaging company TIPA tells PackagingInsights that it regards the poll’s results as instrumental in encouraging the UK government to invest in the right kind of infrastructure for compostable materials.

“TIPA will be using the poll results to demonstrate that there is essentially absolute support for compostables across the political spectrum. It also reflects the public’s support for the issue. As a result, we will be encouraging the government to ensure compostable use is sufficiently encouraged and incentivized,” Daphna Nissenbaum, CEO and CO-Founder of TIPA, tells PackagingInsights.

The compostables supplier is also hoping that the government will introduce reduction targets for conventional flexible film, considering that only a small fraction of it can be recycled. “We believe the [UK Environmental] Bill should legislate to exempt compostable packaging from the Plastic Tax as has been successfully exhibited in Italy,” Nissenbaum highlights. 

TIPA has high hopes for the UK Environmental Bill.Moreover, TIPA underscores a “number of other areas in which the bill could be improved,” including the introduction of stringent penalties for breaches of plastic importation, exportation rules and the supply of compostable bags for collection of domestic food waste. Waste separation should also be improved across the UK to ensure that food waste collection will enable compostable packaging collection.

Regarding the 14 percent who voted against investing in compostable material infrastructure, Nissenbaum affirms that the company will be looking into how it can engage those who remain unsure to elucidate the economic and environmental benefits that such investment could bring.

Reducing “unnecessary” packaging
As the poll question specifies that compostable packaging may be part of the answer to the plastic crisis, TIPA details a range of other critical components. Reducing unnecessary packaging “as much as possible” is one of the unanimously vocalized arguments among environmental agencies. Meanwhile, the debate on the effectiveness of recycling continues to sizzle.

“Material recycling can provide solutions for certain materials, such as PET. However, that’s not entirely circular because the recycling process only works for a limited number of cycles. Chemical recycling has yet to prove its economic and environmental viability. In contrast, organic recycling and composting provide for a functioning solution to the end of life of packaging,” Nissenbaum details.

TIPA's compostable packaging presents another solution to the plastic packaging crisis.As major F&B players, Coca Cola and PepsiCo adamantly defend the benefits of using virgin plastic material in their packaging, film and flexible packaging currently amounts to around 400,000 metric tons of plastic used in the UK per year, comprising 25 percent of all plastic packaging. Just 4 percent of this type of plastic is currently recycled, Survation highlights.

What’s the difference between biodegradable and compostable?
Considering the ambivalent confusion around the definitions and classifications of compostable and biodegradable packaging, TIPA actively meets with MPS to adequately inform them on how to make decisions on the future of compostables. 

“Biodegradation is a biological process in which materials are metabolized into CO2, water and biomass with the help of microorganisms. The process of biodegradation depends on the conditions of the specific environment and on the material or application itself, and therefore, the rate of decomposition varies significantly,” Nissenbaum outlines.

The poll is regarded as a "representative sample" by TIPA.While there is no recognizable standard for the process and timeframe to verify claims made for biodegradability of packaging materials, there are well established British standards for compostable material. “It must biodegrade within 180 days under composting condition, including high humidity and high temperature as well as the presence of microorganisms and bacteria. Therefore, it is essential to distinguish between the two and not use the terms interchangeably,” the Nissenbaum affirms.

Representation matters
Fifty percent of those polled were MPs of the governing Conservative Party, followed by 32 percent Labour, 11 percent SNP, 2 percent from both the Liberal Democrat and Plaid Cymru parties, as well as 1 percent from both DUP and Sinn Féin. The proportion of party MPs is representative of the makeup of the House of Commons as a whole where Conservatives account for 56 percent of the seats, Labour 31 percent, SNP 7 percent and DUP 1 percent. 

“Usually polls are done of 1,000 to 2,000 people to represent the whole of the UK’s 65 million population, so this is a much higher sample as a percentage as we have asked nearly one in six MPs,” Nissenbaum explains. 

“I’m glad to see that MPs agree that to tackle the plastic pollution crisis and work together to amend the Environment Bill to at the very least include targets for compostable packaging,” she concludes. The Environment Bill is set to enter the committee stage this week, where amendments will be considered.

By Anni Schleicher