Fish Box Initiative

The EPS Packaging Group launched a Fish Box Taskforce in March 2005. One of the first agreed actions of the Taskforce was to survey 50 fish processors and wholesalers in the UK to find out exactly what the users of EPS fish boxes thought of them.

MP Opens First EPS Recycling Point
in Essex

Home Tweet Home

Putting The Pin In

Fish Box Initiative

2004 EPS Packaging Recycling Figures

www.eps.co.uk is better than ever…

P.S.

Damien Packer, Environmental Affairs Executive, says: “We found that 73 per cent of those questioned were either very satisfied or satisfied with the performance of EPS fish boxes.

“The key reasons were the reliable insulating properties, the durability of the boxes which are easy to handle and, perhaps most important of all, maintaining food safety standards — even when the cold chain was broken, the EPS fish box helps to keep the fish product at a safe temperature.

“As one respondent commented, this temperature control plays a significant role in reducing food waste — a returned load of processed fish is a very expensive loss to the supplier.”
The survey also asked questions about the disposal of EPS fish boxes and there were some interesting answers, as Damien explains: “We discovered that some people had no idea that EPS fish boxes could be recycled, so that was an opportunity for us to provide information and advice about recyclers and compacters.

“Out of the 50 companies in the survey, only seven had difficulty with disposing of the EPS fish boxes. Again, we tried to offer any advice or help that we could to help these organisations either recycle or compact their fish boxes.”

While the survey was underway, the Fish Box Taskforce translated a useful French document called EPS Packaging - Serving the Cold Chain which contains technical data and case studies. You can read a copy of this in the Downloads section of our website www.eps.co.uk.

To build links with the seafood industry, the Taskforce has also been collaborating with Trevor Misson of The Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish) (see Profile) who has recently produced a useful Key Features document entitled ‘Alternative Disposal of Polystyrene Fish Boxes’.

This document, written with assistance from the EPS Group, gives helpful information and advice to fish processors and wholesalers about recycling options for EPS fish boxes.
Trevor said “EPS fish boxes are widely used for transporting seafood around the UK and around the world, including most airfreighted seafood. Luckily, these EPS boxes can now be profitably recycled in many instances, and global demand for this product is strong. However, they do need to be compacted to allow the EPS to be economically transportable and recyclable.”

This is a good moment for processors and retailers to be considering their options. As Trevor explains: “A couple of small and apparently cost-effective machines have recently come onto the market in the UK, making purchasing and running a compactor or densifier a realistic option, even for a small organisation.

“The cost of landfill is increasing, so the investment needed is becoming economically viable The rising price of oil makes used EPS a valued commodity in the plastics recycling sector so selling compacted EPS fish boxes has never been easier.”

Trevor can be contacted by emailing t_misson@seafish.co.uk
or phoning 01482 327837

PROFILE

Seafish is the UK’s only cross-industry seafood body working with fishermen, processors, wholesalers, seafood farmers, fish friers, caterers, retailers and the import/export trade.

Established in 1981 as a Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB), Seafish is sponsored by the four UK government fisheries departments and funded by a levy on seafood.

Fisheries Technologist, Trevor Misson, has a wide experience of the seafood industry, having been a commercial fisherman and processing factory manager before joining the organisation.

Trevor explains: “Seafish is concerned that so many fish boxes are going to landfill when there are recycling options available Although there is a need for more recycling opportunities, we hope that the Key Features document will provide useful first steps to companies that are currently putting large amounts of EPS fish boxes into landfill.”