Environmental impacts of different single-use and multi-use packaging systems for fresh fish export

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Authors

  • Guorun Svana Hilmarsdóttir
  • Bjorn Margeirsson
  • Sebastian Spierling
  • Olafur Ögmundarson

External Research Organisations

  • University of Iceland
  • Matís Ltd
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Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number141427
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of cleaner production
Volume447
Early online date29 Feb 2024
Publication statusPublished - 1 Apr 2024

Abstract

The production and pollution of plastic present a significant threat to global ecosystems, where annual plastic emissions in aquatic ecosystems are projected to triple between 2020 and 2030. Currently, plastics are widely used for food packaging but depending on the polymers, properties, the recyclability ratio of the plastics varies. Polymers, such as polyethylene (PE), polyurethane (PUR), and expanded polystyrene (EPS), are widely used for packaging and transporting foods such as fresh fish, where multi-use fish tubs often consist of PE and/or PUR and single-use boxes of EPS. This study evaluated the environmental impacts of reusable tubs of different volumes and sizes made of PE/PUR vs single-use EPS boxes, transporting 1000 tons (T) of fresh fish from Iceland to Europe, per year based on life cycle assessment methodology. This is to identify the packaging solution with the lowest environmental impact. The overall results show that multi-use tubs had lower environmental impacts when transporting 1000 T of fresh fish from Iceland to Europe per year, even during first year of usage. For Global warming impacts, producing and using EPS boxes for transporting 1000 T of fresh fish was 141 T CO2-eq and ranged from 4 to 46 T CO2-eq for variating multi-use packaging solutions for one year. The weight of the raw materials (plastics) and size of the tubs were key factors affecting the environmental impacts when transporting the tubs.

Keywords

    Expanded polystyrene, Fish packaging, Life-cycle assessment, Multi-use tub, Polyethylene, Single-use box

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Sustainable Development Goals

Cite this

Environmental impacts of different single-use and multi-use packaging systems for fresh fish export. / Hilmarsdóttir, Guorun Svana; Margeirsson, Bjorn; Spierling, Sebastian et al.
In: Journal of cleaner production, Vol. 447, 141427, 01.04.2024.

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer review

Hilmarsdóttir GS, Margeirsson B, Spierling S, Ögmundarson O. Environmental impacts of different single-use and multi-use packaging systems for fresh fish export. Journal of cleaner production. 2024 Apr 1;447:141427. Epub 2024 Feb 29. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.141427
Hilmarsdóttir, Guorun Svana ; Margeirsson, Bjorn ; Spierling, Sebastian et al. / Environmental impacts of different single-use and multi-use packaging systems for fresh fish export. In: Journal of cleaner production. 2024 ; Vol. 447.
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abstract = "The production and pollution of plastic present a significant threat to global ecosystems, where annual plastic emissions in aquatic ecosystems are projected to triple between 2020 and 2030. Currently, plastics are widely used for food packaging but depending on the polymers, properties, the recyclability ratio of the plastics varies. Polymers, such as polyethylene (PE), polyurethane (PUR), and expanded polystyrene (EPS), are widely used for packaging and transporting foods such as fresh fish, where multi-use fish tubs often consist of PE and/or PUR and single-use boxes of EPS. This study evaluated the environmental impacts of reusable tubs of different volumes and sizes made of PE/PUR vs single-use EPS boxes, transporting 1000 tons (T) of fresh fish from Iceland to Europe, per year based on life cycle assessment methodology. This is to identify the packaging solution with the lowest environmental impact. The overall results show that multi-use tubs had lower environmental impacts when transporting 1000 T of fresh fish from Iceland to Europe per year, even during first year of usage. For Global warming impacts, producing and using EPS boxes for transporting 1000 T of fresh fish was 141 T CO2-eq and ranged from 4 to 46 T CO2-eq for variating multi-use packaging solutions for one year. The weight of the raw materials (plastics) and size of the tubs were key factors affecting the environmental impacts when transporting the tubs.",
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