There's a Refoilution happening in the food industry...
There's a Refoilution happening in the food industry...
Amidst a sea of plastic, could the humble foil food tray provide a solution to the single-use waste crisis?
Sparked by environmental concerns about plastics and plastic waste, progressive businesses are taking action and looking for more sustainable, packaging solutions for takeaway meals and cook at home options. In recent times, we have seen a revolt against single-use products, especially plastic - and it's for good reason.
Across media and social media there are countless programs, videos and posts demonstrating the results of waste mismanagement - marine and bird life filled with micro-plastics, whole islands of rubbish floating in the ocean, entire beaches covered with trash. It’s clear for all to see that things need to change.
Let's challenge the status quo when it comes to food packaging
BE THE CHANGE
Our environment is paying a high price when it comes to waste management, and food packaging tops the list...
In general, food businesses are acutely aware of food sources, food safety and waste. The environment is becoming a subject of much discussion and packaging waste is top of the list. Looking at alternatives to plastics, it is interesting to note that aluminium foil, as is used in foil trays, has substantially higher recycling value than most other materials as it is endlessly renewable.
be the change!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
By choosing materials that are already highly valuable in our existing recycling stream
Aluminium foil doesn’t lose any of its properties in the recycling process and can be recycled over and over again. In fact, some 75% of all aluminium ever produced is still in use - in some form or another. What’s more, recycling aluminium also saves energy when compared to what’s required for its primary production.
HOW CAN WE TURN THE TIDE?
A circular economy begins when we consider what happens after a product is used
As we work towards a circular economy with goals of zero waste and lower impact, we need to be looking to products that can be designed and manufactured to reduce raw material use and be reused or recycled after use, rather than be sent to landfill. Design and manufacture play a big part in the circular economy equation. And ease of recyclability is also important. A locally produced, humble foil tray may be the perfect answer....
IT'S LIGHTS OUT ON SINGLE-USE CULTURE
THE REAL PRICE OF CONVENIENCE
“There is no such thing as "AWAY". When we throw anything away, it has to go somewhere.”
- ANNIE LeoNARD
Imagine for a moment the positive impact your business could make if you were to replace the 500, the 1000 or even several thousand plastic food containers you are currently cycling through in your business every month with a 100% recyclable and renewable option like aluminium foil. You might think your actions are too small to make a difference - we get it! Change can feel scary and the problem of waste can feel big, but every choice you make is more powerful than you might realise. Saving thousands of containers from landfill or breaking down and ending up in our oceans each year starts with one small decision. One small change. It starts with thinking about your packaging and its lifecycle beyond when it leaves you.
Every time we spend our money, we are casting a vote for the kind of world we want to live in. Let's make it a good one. Your choices are powerful and more far reaching than you might think.
powerful change begins with taking the first step
FOIL IS THE NEW BLACK. HERE's WHY...
ARE YOU READY TO BREAK-UP WITH SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ONCE AND FOR ALL? "Err.... It's not you, it's me..."
01
CONSIDER HOW MANY PLASTIC OR NON RECYCLABLE FOOD CONTAINERS YOU COULD REPLACE WITH FOIL TRAYS IN YOUR BUSINESS
02
IMAGINE HOW MANY ITEMS OF PACKAGING YOU COULD SAVE FROM ENDING UP IN LANDFILL OR THE OCEANS EACH YEAR
03
FOIL IS ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE MATERIALS IN THE RECYCLING STREAM AND IN ESSENCE ALREADY HAS A BUILT IN CIRCULAR ECONOMY
04
FEEL GOOD THAT YOUR BUSINESS IS MAKING A RESPONSIBLE CHOICE THAT ISN't GOING TO HARM THE PLANET OR MARINE AND WILDLIFE
05
SHARE YOUR INTEREST IN SUSTAINABILITY WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS TOO. SMALL CHANGES, WHEN MULTIPLIED CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
YOUR CHOICES MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Small change goes a long way
After use, give your foil tray a quick rinse to clean away any food or grease residue. Your foil needs to be clean in order to prevent contamination at the next stage.
RINSE IT
Scrunch up your clean and dry foil
into a tennis sized ball to give it the best chance of being picked up in the recycling stream.
SCRUNCH IT
Place the foil into your kurb-side recycling bin to close the loop and make sure it gets to the right place at your local recycling facility.
RECYCLE IT
THIS IS HOW WE DO IT
GIVING YOUR FOIL A NEW LEASE ON LIFE IS EASY!
It's incredible to think that over 75% of the aluminium ever produced is still in use today
it's pretty amazing stuff!
Foil packaging protects food against light and air and also preserves the food quality. Furthermore, due to it’s production and the high temperature annealing process, it is completely sterile so is safe for use in contact with foodstuffs. Foil does not harbour or promote the growth of bacteria so it’s perfect for food, cooked or raw. Foil trays can be transferred from one state, such as frozen, to fully heated without the need to transfer the contents – even for microwaves. And no other container offers better heat conductivity.
FOILED AGAIN!
Yes, aluminium foil is a sustainable food packaging choice. But ticking the sustainability box isn't the only thing foil has going for it....
THE FOIL MOVEMENT
Foil trays and containers are lightweight which makes them more efficient to transport and easier to handle and store. Foil is also economical to transport for recycling. When it comes to transport, less weight equals less cost, and less environmental impact.
LOCAL MANUFACTURING COMES TO THE FORE
When you’re looking for a reliable solution, again foil is the answer!
Confoil foil trays are strong and durable and thanks to local manufacturing, supply is no problem. “Confoil is a family owned and operated business. We have sustained over 50 years of local production, ensuring our products are of a high-quality and meet all required safety standards. Local manufacturing reduces the ‘food miles’ of our products, further reducing their environmental impact,” explains Alison Buxton, Chief Executive Officer.
Confoil is a business truly dedicated to reducing their impact and have installed over 2,000 solar panels on manufacturing site rooftops to power production. This has reduced it's CO2 emissions by over 525 tonne - the same as taking 114 cars off the road each year.
DID YOU KNOW
JUST 9% OF PLASTIC IS ACTUALLY RECYCLED WORLDWIDE?
- SCIENCE ADVANCE
Join the Refoilution and become part of a movement of change when it comes to making sustainable food packaging choices
Help us to spread the word about the benefits of aluminium foil and encourage your customers to consciously consider the packaging they buy their food in
Pledge your support!
join the Refoilution ...
Get more information from us on ways you can make the switch to foil in your business
Grab yourself a 10% discount to use on your next foil order on our online shop - confoil.com.au.
A great start to your foil journey!
HOW? PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT IN ONE OF TWO WAYS!
ARE YOU READY TO DO THIS?
Each offer is limited to the first 200 responders.
No exchanges are able to be made on t-shirts, so please choose your size carefully.
Offer valid within Australia only - you must reside in Australia to be eligible for this offer.
Show the world your commitment to making a positive change! Grab your free t-shirt and sign up to receive more information from us on making the switch to foil in your business, as well as a discount code to use on your next order!
Grab your Refoilution
t-shirt and take the pledge!
Let's do this!
OR...
THIS
Thanks for Taking the Pledge!
GIVE YOURSELF A PAT ON THE BACK! YOU'VE JUST JOINED THE REFOILUTION ! A PLEDGE TO CONSIDER THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FOOD PACKAGING CHOICES YOU MAKE.
Spread the word with us! Your exclusive Refoilution t-shirt will be on it's way to you shortly in the post!
TM
TM
Pledge your support! Join the Refoilution! Sign up to receive more information on how to make the positive switch to foil packaging in your business as well as receive a 10% discount to use on your next order with us! To thank you for your commitment, our gift to you is to plant 10 trees in Australia with One Tree Planted. Your pledge is important and makes a huge difference.
THAT
Plant 10 trees in Australia on my behalf with One
Tree Planted!
Thanks for Taking the Pledge!
GIVE YOURSELF A PAT ON THE BACK! YOU'VE JUST JOINED THE REFOILUTION ! A PLEDGE TO CONSIDER THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FOOD PACKAGING CHOICES YOU MAKE.
Keep an eye on your inbox for your tree certificate - we will plant 10 trees on your behalf to combat deforestation in Australia with One Tree Planted!
TM
Unlike plastic which has a limited recycling lifecycle of 7-8 times (if it is recycled at all), aluminium foil can be recycled endlessly
91% OF PLASTIC is either sent to landfill, incinerated or litters our streets or fills our oceans. Over many years in rivers and waterways, plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces and is eventually consumed by marine or bird life. And what price can you put on the loss of species?
- SCIENCE ADVANCE
Vol. 3, no. 7, e1700782
Aluminium can be melted down and reformed over and over again without compromise because of its pure composition
FOR EXAMPLE, alumiNIUM cans are far more valuable than glass or plastic, helping make municipal recycling programs financially viable and effectively subsidizing the recycling of less valuable materials in the bin. ALUMINIUM IS ABLE TO BE RECYCLED over and over again in a true "closed loop" recycling process. Glass and plastic are typically "down-cycled" into products like carpet fiber or landfill liner.
- THE ALUMINIUM ASSOCIATION
75%
9%
91%
UP IN LANDFILL, WATERWAYS AND OCEANS
2000
ROOFTOPS
Aussie made using renewable energy from the sun.
Over 2000 solar panels on our manufacturing site rooftops power production. This has reduced CO2 emissions by over 525 tonne - that's the same as taking 114 cars off the road each year.
