Packaging releases 1000 tonnes of plastic per year: study

A study, published by Earth Action in collaboration with rePurpose Global, has mapped the scale of microplastics moving from packaging into food and drinks.

The study, ‘Pack to Plate’, is a global synthesis of micro- and nanoplastics migrating from food packaging. It estimates packaging releases around 1000 tons of plastic particles each year.

According to the research, the average individual intake is estimated at around 130 mg per year, rising to over one gram annually for high-use consumers. Most particles identified are smaller than 150 micrometres — small enough to penetrate cell barriers and interact with biological systems.

Plastic also contains complex chemical mixtures, including endocrine-disrupting and carcinogenic substances, meaning micro- and nanoplastics may also act as vectors of chemical exposure.

A central finding of the report is that microplastic exposure from packaging is not random but driven by three predictable factors: material choice, packaging design, and real-world use conditions.

“For years the debate around microplastics focused on pollution in the environment. Now we know of the direct pathway to human exposure through the food we eat every day,” said Julien Boucher, PhD, Head of Research and Co-CEO of Earth Action.

“This report identifies the scale of the problem but also points to the solutions. If policymakers and industry start treating particle release as a real safety consideration, alongside chemical migration, we have clear opportunities to reduce exposure.”

Design elements such as caps, closures and multi-component structures introduce points of friction that increase particle release, particularly during repeated opening and handling. Use-phase conditions introduce further variability. Sunlight and UV exposure alone can increase particle release by up to two orders of magnitude. Thermal stress from hot filling or microwaving acts as a secondary amplifier, weakening the material and significantly increasing particle detachment.

Packaging is not the largest source of microplastics in the environment by mass but as it is in direct, continuous contact with food and beverages, it creates a more concentrated human ingestion pathway than environmental routes such as water or air. Other environmental sources include car tyre wear, synthetic textiles, paints and mismanaged plastic waste.

Exposure from packaging is concentrated in a small number of formats. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles alone account for roughly one-third of total packaging-related exposure, followed by rigid PET food packaging and flexible polyethylene (PE) packaging, which together make up the majority of the remaining exposure, while other formats such as multilayer packaging contribute only marginally.

The researchers highlight a gap in food safety regulation. Ingesting micro- and nanoplastics means simultaneous exposure to other chemical substances, both intentionally and non-intentionally added.

Ingesting 100–200 mg of micro- and nanoplastics is associated with around 50 mg of chemical exposure. Yet current food-contact regulations largely account for neither particle release nor this combined exposure profile, despite all three originating from the same materials.

“The data makes one thing clear: better choices upstream can prevent billions of particles reaching food before it ever gets to consumers,” said Svanika Balasubramanian, Chief Circularity Officer & Founder of rePurpose Global.

“A relatively small number of packaging formats and supply-chain conditions drive most exposure. That means industry has a real opportunity and responsibility to redesign packaging systems to reduce these emissions.”

Due to the predictability of migration, the report provides a framework for identifying high-risk packaging formats and outlines practical measures for industry that could reduce particle release.

These include:

• limiting UV exposure during transport and retail display;
• redesigning high-stress components such as caps and closures;
• testing packaging under realistic use conditions including heating and repeated handling.
   

In addition to the report, the research provides structured datasets designed for integration into digital tools and future standard-setting efforts. These will be incorporated into the rePurpose Global platform, giving companies visibility into the microplastic exposure associated with their packaging.

The datasets are also feeding into the Plastic Footprint Network’s ‘Plastic Footprint Guidelines — Module on micro- and nanoplastics from packaging into food’, part of a growing library of methodologies helping companies worldwide assess and measure their plastic footprint.

This effort was supported by the Innovation Alliance for a Global Plastics Treaty (IAGPT), which aims to advance solution-oriented research and accelerate actionable insights for policymakers and industry.

“For a long time, food packaging has been viewed as essentially inert within regulatory safety frameworks. But decades of research show that plastics can release both chemicals and particles into food during normal use,” said Dr Jane Muncke, Managing Director and Chief Scientific Officer at the Food Packaging Forum.

“Micro- and nanoplastics add another dimension to this issue and underline the need to better assess the stability and safety of materials used in food packaging.”

The full report can be found on the website.

Image credit: iStock.com/Thai Liang Lim. Image used for illustrative purposes only.