Single-use packaging allows foodservice establishments to package meals in a sensible, safe and cost-effective fashion, while providing customers an efficient and convenient way to transport meals.

• Sanitation
• Cost
• Safety
• Resource Conservation
• The “Green” Choice in Many Situations
• Indispensible

Sanitation

The use of single-use packaging is a major step toward preventing foodborne illness. Used only once, these products significantly reduce food contamination and the spread of diseases.

• According to a 2003 survey of foodservice operations in Las Vegas conducted by the Clark County, Nev., Health District and analyzed by Silliker, Inc., “reusable foodservice items had higher microbiological levels than disposable items.”
• And single-use foodservice packaging isn’t the only part of a sanitary dining experience. According to a study conducted in 2006 by the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh, “single-use placemats were shown, on average, to have over 7 times fewer bacteria than uncovered tables in restaurants.”
• An NSF study in 2005 found that reusable cafeteria trays typically have more germs than most other surfaces in school.  

Cost

By reducing the need for expensive equipment, additional labor and non-revenue producing storage space, single-use packaging is the economical alternative to multiuse items.

• It eliminates the need for costly dishwashers and other support equipment (racks, carts, dollies, shelving, bins, etc.). Plus, saves money on water, detergents and energy used by dishwashers;
• Single-use foodservice packaging also saves time and labor by eliminating the need to scrape, wash, rinse, dry and store dishes;
• It eliminates the need to replace reusables that are broken, damaged, stolen or accidentally discarded; and reduces the need for non-revenue producing back-of-house storage space. Costs to consider when contemplating converting to reusables should include facility remodeling, equipment purchase, increased utility costs (water and energy), dishwashing labor, additional employee training, uniforms, and other employee costs and benefits.

Safety

Single-use foodservice packaging contributes to safety in foodservice operations.

• Single-use foodservice packaging is lightweight, reducing potential accidents, back injuries and insurance costs.
• It helps eliminate possible cuts and scratches caused by chipped or broken crockery and glassware.
• It removes the possibility of spillovers from water and detergent, thus eliminating potential workplace hazards.
• Finally, the manufacture of single-use foodservice packaging is subject to the stringent food-contact compliance regulations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Resource Conservation

Single-use foodservice packaging manufactures their and suppliers use environmentally-responsible practices in their operations to preserve natural resources.

• Paper suppliers use sound timber management procedures when harvesting trees. The paper industry plants 90 percent more trees each year than it harvests. In fact, the U.S. Forest Service reposts in its National Report on Sustainable Forests--2010 that,“from the broadleaved forests of the East to the conifers of the West, the United States continues to benefit from a large and diverse inventory of forests distributed across the Nation. Since the beginning of the last century, the size of this inventory has been relatively stable and much of it remains largely intact.”
• Only four percent of the world’s petroleum resources are used to manufacture ALL plastics. And plastic foodservice packaging account for a very small portion of the world’s plastic.  
•  Most foodservice aluminum products can be recycled. Recycled aluminum saves 95 percent of the energy required to make virgin aluminum from bauxite ore.
• Foodservice packaging made from alternative materials are made from renewable resources like corn, potato, starch, sugarcane and bamboo.
• Commercial dishwashers that are used to wash permanent wear consume large amounts of water and energy. Regardless of the capacity, they use hundreds of gallons of water per hour which adds up to an enormous use of water and significant depletion of water resources.  

The “Green” Choice in Many Situations

• Foodservice packaging made from  traditional materials are becoming more green with the introduction of post-consumer recycled content paper and plastic, plus less materials are being used through “light weighting” and the addition of fillers.
• Foodservice packaging made from alternative materials are made from renewable resources and can be combined with traditional materials.
• While the majority of foodservice packaging is destined for landfills, a growing number of localities offer recycling and composting options for these products. Another option is waste-to-energy facilities, where, for example, the energy contained within single-use foodservice packaging can be almost fully recovered. Burning polystyrene, for example, generates 17,800 BTUs per pound of energy, double the BTU value of coal. 
•  Finally, if discarding foodservice packaging in landfills is a concern, know that according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, paper and plastic single-use foodservice packaging discarded in the country’s municipal solid waste stream accounted for only 1.3 percent in 2007 (by weight).   

Single-use foodservice packaging is, and always will be, an essential part of life. Their sanitary, cost, safety and convenient benefits make them indispensable.

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Code authoritatively spells out the sanitary and health advantages of single-use foodservice packaging: "A food establishment without facilities...for cleaning and sanitizing kitchenware and tableware shall provide only single-use kitchenware, single-service articles, and single-use articles for use by food employees and single-service articles for use by consumers." The Food Code further states "in situations in which the reuse of multiuse items could result in foodborne illness to consumers, single-service and single-use articles must be used to ensure safety." This mean, in a disaster or emergency situation, by law, single use foodservice packaging must be used.