Recyclable. Recycled content. Compostable. Made from bio-materials. Which of these makes for a safe, sustainable package? The truth is that this is the wrong question, especially when it comes to food packaging. Let us start with a fast food hamburger, which generally comes in a paperboard box that is most likely polycoated (we will assume it contains no per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS).
What is the role of the package? It is to deliver the food to the customer in a way that provides containment and protection, while also keeping enough heat to maintain at least some level of appetite appeal, and also deliver the nutrition and physio-psychological satisfaction that the consumer expects.