Organic food in plastic packaging – Isn’t it ironic?
Arriving late to the Elmwood Theater Saturday night for the film Food Inc, Michael and I were stuck in the front row with our necks craning to see the screen. Believe me. It was worth it. Even if you’ve already read The Omnivore’s Dilemma or Fast Food Nation, seeing images of downed cattle, abused chickens, and mistreated factory workers up close brings the subject home on a visceral level.
But in addition to needing a reminder of why I should avoid fast food and support our farmer’s markets, I had an ulterior motive. I wanted to see if the film addressed any issues of plastics in the environment and in our food supply. And it kind of did, in a very subtle and ironic way. One of the interviewees in this film is Gary Hirshberg, founder of Stonyfield Farm Organic, the third largest producer of yogurt in the U.S. A glimpse of the Stonyfield plant as well as a walk through the Natural Products Expo in Anaheim, CA showed row after row of plastic containers. And it makes you wonder:
Why do producers and consumers of organic products, who are concerned about pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and antibiotics in our food, ignore the packaging encasing the food after it’s produced? How can Muir Glen canned tomatoes, for example, be certified organic when the lining of the can contains BPA?
And avoiding packaging that contains BPA is not enough! That’s just one ingredient we happen to know about. How about what we don’t? We demand full disclosure of ingredients from food companies. How about possible ingredients leaching from the containers? Plastic is not just plastic. It often contains additives that affect its strength, flexibility, color, and even resistance to bacteria. And there’s no labeling law requiring disclosure of any of that.
When our current Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was passed in 1976, 62,000 industrial chemicals were grandfathered in, meaning they were never required to be tested for safety. Since then, another 20,000-30,000 chemicals have gone on the market. And in 30 years, only 5 have been banned. The law is so weak, that the EPA has not even been able to ban asbestos.
How do we know that the chemicals added to plastics are safe if they are not required to be proven safe before entering the market? How can we make decisions if we don’t even know what these chemicals are??!!
And how can manufacturers of organic products tell us they want to protect the environment and “save the earth” when they are relying on plastic wraps, plastic containers, plastic bottles, and plastic bags without question?
I want to see safe product packaging added to the criteria for organic certification. I want producers to ask what “food grade” really means and for manufacturers of plastic products to be required to reveal all of their additives. I want all manufacturers to follow the principal of Extended Producer Responsibility and plan for a practical cradle to cradle life cycle for their products and packaging BEFORE putting them on the market.
So what can we do? Today, I’m going to share my thoughts with the following organizations:
1) Organic Consumers Association
2) USDA National Organic Progam
3) My senators
5) Stonyfield Farms. To Stonyfield’s credit, they have extensively researched their packaging and are working on finding a more sustainable solution. You can read what they have to say about their plastic yogurt containers here:
http://www.stonyfield.com/sustainability
Still, I didn’t see anything in their packaging statement about what chemicals are in the plastic, so I’ll be writing to them as well.
Several Bay Area farmers markets have already taken the initiative to purge themselves of plastic. I’ll be writing about them later this week. And I plan to pursue the issue of organic food in plastic packaging on an ongoing basis. Plastic may be the lighter weight alternative. But unless we are told what chemicals are in the plastic, how can any of us know if it’s safe?
And what about the organic veggies that have shrink wrap around them. That has to be heated plastic to boot. It’s crazy!
Thank you for this information. I appreciate it and continue to be skeptical of ANY plastic. That said, it is extremely difficult to purchase healthy products, even organic ones, which are not packaged in plastic. So frustrating! You mentioned below “I asked why go to all the trouble to develop a “safe” plastic bottle when they could just promote stainless steel or glass instead. Brent’s feeling was that it was not practical to expect everyone to switch to stainless steel bottles, especially those involved in sports, and that plastics are here to stay, so they should be safe.” Brent’s response was so disappointing. While I understand that his response is probably based on a concern that purchases and profits would drop if plastic were not available, why does the consumer who is willing to pay the extra cost for glass or stainless steel have to suffer (by lack of sustainable/healthy packaging) because of this. Why couldn’t both types of packaging be offered? The answer, I believe, sadly, is cost to the manufacturer. NO concern for health, but instead, only for profit. So, until something changes, I will continue to purchase fresh, organic, fruits and vegetables, and make my own organic juices, and store them in glass containers with stainless steel lids. In stead of making a sandwish for lunch and storing it in a BPA free plasic sandwish bag, I will store it in a small square glass container. Is this more expensive? Yes, it is, by my health, and that of my family, are worth that cost.
I agree… BPA lined cans, especially for tomatoes, can be problematic, as I understand it. I have found a brand of organic, strained tomatoes packaged in 24 oz glass jars. So happy! The brand is called “Bionature”, and I purchase it at Shoprite grocery stores. Wish that other organic providers (not just for tomatoes) would follow suit. What sense does it make to provide an organic product, but package it in what are potentially dangerous containers?
Have any new updates been made? I am very concerned about the plastic packaging of organic products. Why can’t glass be used instead of plastic. If the answer is the cost, it’s safe to assume that those are spending more money on organic products are concerned enough to pay extra for safe packaging which doesn’t compromise the organic product.
The problem now is that we don’t know whether the substitute is any safer.
http://myplasticfreelife.com/2011/04/bpa-free-does-not-mean-safe-most-plastics-leach-hormone-disrupting-chemicals/
http://myplasticfreelife.com/2012/07/are-bpa-free-plastic-products-food-cans-register-receipts-safer-than-those-with-bpa-in-them/
Yes, the general consensus is plastic should not be used, either in for organic product or other. I’m sure if a new ‘see through’ safe product was invented, ALL organic producers/retailers would use it. Give them a break!….at least your not getting all the pesticide, fungicide, herbicide, organochlorines and everything else on the food!…some products have to be packaged, it’s not the fault of those dealing in organic certified products, they can only use packaging available to them…..your choice!
Beth, your blog is terrific and so inspiring. Thank you for all your hard work and devotion. Yes, it is ironic – all the organic food in plastic. I am also always wondering why it is mostly wrapped. Even in organic stores. In Europe you can at least easily find yogurt in glass jars. But not in Montreal. What a pity. So possibly I will buy a yoghurt maker, since the method with the thermos flask didn’t work out.
We should be eating like our great grandparent ate. Read some old books and relearn the way the world got along before this epidemic. Hate to say it but our past generations were much smarter than us. Lets admit it, eat our slice of humble pie, and turn this ship around. For the sake of our kids if not for us.
Dear Emily,
Great Article ! I would like to introduce to my organisation which makes Organic Paper.
Kraft Veda is a sustainable paper manufacturing organization based in India. We make paper using the traditional techniques to make the paper 100% Natural, Eco friendly and Chemical Free.
As now Organic foods must meet standards with regard to the materials used in packaging and labeling, now organizations are moving towards sustainable packaging. Organic Companies are considering recycled paper packaging as a solution but even recycled paper manufacturing process infuses chemicals which get transferred to the organic food products due to which the entire philosophy of Organic is endangered.
We have launched our Organic Paper which we make from Certified Organic Cotton. This makes the paper 100% Organic, 100% Recyclable, Biodegradable, Acid Free & Chlorine Free.
We have set-up Centre of Paper Innovation to carry out R&D activities for paper centric innovations to minimize packaging costs at the same time evaluate Eco friendly & Sustainable alternatives.
We have gone a step further with Eco printing on the product packaging with Vegetable Inks/Herbal Inks which makes it 100% Eco-friendly & Chemical free.
Really, Abagale? You think this blog is about pet fish? Well, I won't argue with a link. But seriously?