We need new weapons against packaging waste

Last month, researchers found microplastics — small, microscopic pieces of plastic fragments — within human lungs for the first time. This comes on the heels of news that microplastics were found in human blood, which may travel around the body and enter organs.

Microplastics find their way into our bodies through, among other methods, breathing them in as well as through contact with plastic bottles, packaging, clothing and other manufacturing processes. An example is the release and leaching of plastic flakes from containers into food and drinks, leading to our direct consumption.

The food and beverage (F&B) industry plays an integral role in our journey to reduce plastic waste and prevent its negative impact on human health, given that 60% of total plastic leakage into the ocean in Thailand originates from the packaging sector.

SIMON BALDWIN