A recently launched recyclable and compostable pad is set to assist berry producers and their customers in minimizing food waste while simultaneously lowering carbon emissions.
Elliott Absorbent Products has introduced the ‘ECHO’ fruit pad, designed to extend the shelf life of berries by up to 12 hours. Importantly, these pads can be recycled or composted by consumers, promoting sustainable practices.
The new ECHO pads are 100% plastic-free and employ the innovative Tensei second harvest technology. Crafted from sustainable straw crop residues—including seeds, skins, and fiber crops after processing—these pads also include perennial grasses and annual fiber crops.
In the UK, over 5.3 billion fruit pads are discarded into landfills each year, generating enough waste to cover nearly half a million tennis courts. This staggering statistic underscores the need for more sustainable solutions in food and beverage packaging.
Matt Hankins, managing director of Elliott Absorbent Products, remarked: “The new pads are a great opportunity for berry growers to extend shelf-life and cut food and packaging waste. By switching to ECHO and utilizing crop waste, we can replace 1,280 metric tonnes of plastic or tree-sourced fiber every year.”
Designed with an embossed surface, the pads effectively cushion the fruit, minimizing spoilage and reducing product loss as confirmed by three independent tests conducted with fruit desks and growers. Offering 100% surface absorbency for fungal water droplets, the pads can hold approximately 500ml of distilled water per square meter, eliminating the need for perforations.
The ECHO product line is available in pads and rolls in black-blue, facilitating easy identification for IR recycling. The pads and rolls are fully cushioned and made from pure cellulose, ensuring they are completely plastic-free. Furthermore, they are certified to the EU standard UNI 11743:2019, supported by CPI and accepted in UK recycling systems.
This innovative development not only utilizes a valuable waste product but also presents a potential new income source for farmers. As a result, the ECHO pads address both packaging waste and food waste effectively.
According to figures from a 2018 DEFRA report, 24% of baled straw, equivalent to 2.87 million tonnes, represents unused crop waste. Meanwhile, UK households discard approximately 6.4 million tonnes of edible food each year; globally, food waste is responsible for at least 8% of greenhouse gas emissions.
Anabelle Filer, CEO of Tensei, stated: “Second Harvest technology enables us to replace traditional plastic pads used for fruit packaging with fibers from agricultural waste. This innovation promotes economic freedom, creates a significant reduction in environmental impact and end-of-life issues, allowing farmers to earn more, providing brands with valuable new options, and giving future generations hope for a more sustainable future.”
This product launch is part of Elliott Absorbent Products’ extensive initiative to reduce waste, which includes the introduction of UNIDRY OA meat pads in March. The ECHO pads will be unveiled at Fruit Logistica in Berlin from October 5-7. For more information or to order sample pads, please visit: https://elliottabsorbents.co.uk/food/echo-absorbent-fruit-pads/