Isn't plastic waste increasing due to corona damage?
May 26, 16:05
A home delivery service for cooking, whose use is increasing worldwide due to the new coronavirus.
Although it is a convenient service, it has been pointed out that it has led to an increase in the amount of waste in plastic containers.
France is working together with the public and private sectors to reduce the amount of waste in these plastic containers.
(Reporter Shin Kojima, Directorate General of Europe)
Charter to reduce plastic waste
In February, the French government signed a charter with 19 companies, including major culinary delivery services and related companies, to work together to reduce plastic waste.
Specifically, companies are aiming to halve disposable plastic waste by January 1st next year and reduce it by more than 70% by January 1st next year.
As of 2019, the French government estimates that at least 600 million disposable plastic containers were used annually in food delivery services.
In addition, the new coronavirus has made it impossible for restaurants to enter and operate.
As a result, the French government believes that home delivery services are increasing and that plastic waste is increasing.
That sense of crisis led to a partnership with a food delivery service.
In a "recyclable" container
We talked to one of the companies that cooperated with us, a major food delivery service.
In France, we have contracts with about 20,000 restaurants and undertake home delivery.
It is said that the number of customers has nearly doubled in the wake of the crisis of the new coronavirus.
When I asked, "It's hard because of the increase in plastic waste," it was surprisingly denied that "it's not the case."
The reason for this is the container sales site that introduces customers to restaurants.
We do not handle plastic containers, but recyclable containers made from sugar cane and paper containers.
It is up to the restaurant to decide what kind of container to prepare, but the delivery service company also explained that by recommending the use of recyclable containers, it has led to the reduction of plastic waste.
In addition, he plans to work on the reuse of plastic containers, the so-called "reuse".
Reduction by "reuse"
How can "reuse" proceed?
I interviewed another company that has already started working on it.
This company is engaged in a home-delivery-type company meal service that delivers meals to contracted companies.
We will install a vending machine such as a refrigerator at the contractor and deliver the meal to it.
The menu also includes European-style items such as "lasagna" and "beef stewed in beer".
The user holds up the smartphone to open the vending machine, take out meals, and pay.
In France, the “country of gastronomy,” company food is an important benefit.
Many companies have come to work from home due to the spread of the infection, and the number of people who come to work has decreased significantly, but it is said that home-delivery-type company food services are still growing.
This is because many companies avoid the burden of running a restaurant and switch to a home delivery service.
The CEO said that reducing contact between employees is also seen as an advantage compared to the cafeteria.
The company is switching to durable plastic containers to promote "reuse" of containers.
So far, we have used paper containers that can be composted, and it is said that the burden on the environment was small.
However, the transparent cover that covers the container was made of plastic because of its appearance.
Replace all of these containers with plastic containers that can be used repeatedly up to 100 times.
After using it, it is collected, washed, and used again.
600 yen if you don't return it!
A two-week trial of "reuse" using a new container was conducted at a customer company.
In order to get "reuse" on track, it is necessary to increase the return rate of containers.
Therefore, I decided to attach a QR code to the bottom of the container and have the user read it with a machine after eating and then return it.
We will record whether or not the container has been returned, and if it is not returned, we will ask you to pay 5 euros and 600 yen in Japanese yen as the container fee.
Some people who actually experienced it said, "It's easy and good for the environment, so it's welcome."
Replacing all containers with "reusable" plastic will save 20 tons of plastic annually.
However, even if it is "reused", the question arises that plastic waste may eventually remain.
To solve this problem, some start-up companies in France are developing plant-derived plastic containers that can be used for "reuse".
The price is 10 times that of a normal disposable plastic container.
Even so, it is said that the cost can be recovered by using it repeatedly.
This will reduce the burden on the final environment.
Establish or reuse
In the home-delivery type company food service, the return rate can be increased by setting up a collection place for containers in the company.
On the other hand, when introducing it into a home delivery service to individual households, it is necessary for the store side to visit the household again to collect the container, or to go to the restaurant or specific collection place ordered by the customer side and return it. Become.
The start-up company mentioned above is also considering a mechanism in which the container fee is paid in advance and if it is returned, the amount will be returned.
If "reuse" progresses, it will be possible to complete the cycle of washing and reusing in the area, but it seems that users will have to accept a certain amount of time and effort.
In France, where individual rights and freedoms are often respected, I would like to continue to see if there is a shift from disposables to a culture of repeated use that requires the cooperation of users.
Directorate General of Europe
Shin Kojima
Joined in 2000
After working at the International Affairs Department and Brussels Branch, he is currently in charge of climate change issues.