An agreement has been reached between the fresh produce industry and composting organisations to accelerate the transition to certified compostable Price Look Up (PLU) stickers.
This intent was reached at a first-ever worldwide meeting in Niagara Falls, Canada, on 1 October, with the discussions leading to the agreement to develop a multi-phase framework to support this transition through the development and adoption of a global standard for compostable PLUs.
“Moving to a certified compostable format for PLUs is a priority for organics recycling facilities,” said John McKew, National Executive Officer, Australian Organics Recycling Association, and member of the International Compost Alliance (ICA).
“The current plasticised format is not compatible with producing quality compost, nor can the stickers be easily removed during the organics recycling process and can result in the collected organics being sent to landfill or incineration, contributing to climate change, and diminishing a crucial resource to build soil health,” he said.
Addressing the issue
The meeting provided a unique opportunity for the fresh produce industry and composting industry to better understand their respective positions on PLU stickers.
This included the fresh produce industry outlining the critical role PLUs play in helping accurately and effectively identify fresh produce for enhanced traceability, inventory control and pricing at retail.
The composting industry outlined the impacts of discarded PLU stickers accompanying fresh produce waste sent to organics recycling, including consumer-sourced, commercial, and business organic waste sources.
Given most PLU stickers are currently non-compostable and difficult to remove, physically contaminating the organics recycling process and adversely impacting the finished compost quality and value, the meeting provided a strategic opportunity to identify a way forward which recognises each industry’s respective priorities.
Planned transition
The planned transition to certified compostable PLUs in the European Union (EU) by 2028 provides the added momentum to accelerate a worldwide adoption to this collective goal.
Outcomes of the meeting included identifying a draft framework to move forward, including the draft elements of a global compostable PLU standard, comprised of compositional as well as in-field testing requirements. A draft multi-phased roadmap towards timely and global adoption of a standard that reflects the evolving global regulatory landscape was also identified.
Next steps include broader engagement of industry representatives with their respective regional and global counterparts to disseminate the meeting’s key findings. This will include broader engagement with fresh produce stakeholders in the EU and other key markets where PLU requirements are rapidly evolving.
A Compostable PLU Standard Action Plan will be developed and launched by industry stakeholders before the end of 2024, leading to actions to promote and accelerate the development and adoption of certified compostable PLUs starting in 2025.