27 Mar Essex Morrisons stores to prevent 600 tonnes of polystyrene from being used
From today, one of the most widely used plastics – expanded polystyrene – will be completely removed from all Morrisons food and drink products.
Morrisons is making the move because polystyrene is not recyclable at kerbside services, lasts for hundreds of years and is often seen in the environment where it’s easily blown away by the wind.
The move will prevent 600 tonnes of the material being disposed of every year. [1]
Morrisons used polystyrene on its fresh food counters – for meat and fish trays – and as a base for instore-made pizzas. It has also been used to package some delicate frozen desserts and cakes.
Approximately 90 million meat trays, fish trays and pizza bases were used in Morrisons last year.
The supermarket will instead introduce cardboard bases for pizzas and frozen goods. At its butchers and fishmongers clear recyclable plastic trays will be used – which are made from recycled plastic bottles.
Morrisons new more environmentally friendly packaging will also tell customers how it can be recycled. For example, the clear meat and fish trays feature the wording ‘rinse and recycle’ on the bottom.
