Plastic, a new slice in the food pyramid?

By using less plastic, you are consuming less plastic.

Currently, 300 million tons of plastic waste are produced annually, according to the United Nations Environment Programme. Portugal produces plastic waste above the European average, more than 40kg per inhabitant. The plastic crisis has reached a point where it is impossible to overcome simply by abolishing single-use plastics. Therefore, at Equal Food we intend to fight this crisis through different approaches.

We need to raise awareness about the impact our actions can have on the planet and our future. At Equal Food, our mission against food waste does not exclude our advocacy for sustainability, affordable and healthy food, and the fight against climate change. We want to create this awareness with you and develop an ecological and sustainable network. You can join our fight and enjoy our fresh, regional, and seasonal food by purchasing one of our plastic-free baskets .

Part of the problem of this crisis could be solved by recycling these products. However, less than 10% of all manufactured plastic is recycled because the costs of separating and collecting the waste are very high. According to Greenpeace, of the world's plastic production, only 9% was recycled, 12% was burned, and 79% ended up directly in landfills or affecting some ecosystem.

It is important to highlight how the plastics crisis, in addition to being a source of pollution and a generator of a climate problem, is also a problem of health and social justice.

Most of the plastics polluting the oceans are, in fact, single-use items, such as bottles, bags, or plates. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, up to 800 species of mollusks, crustaceans, and fish already had plastics in their food chains in 2016. Data provided by the European Parliament in 2018 also demonstrate that the oceans are already home to more than 150 million tons of plastic waste. And if nothing is done, by 2050 there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans.

The invisibility of microplastics

Plastics are now beginning to appear in a new form: microplastics. As the name suggests, microplastics are tiny plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in diameter. There are two types:

• Primary microfibers, originating from waste for commercial use, for example, in cosmetic products or toothpaste, as well as microfibers from textiles, such as fishing nets;
• Secondary particles are particles that result from the deformation of larger plastic products, such as bottles, through the force of ocean waves or solar radiation.

Their biggest problem is how easily they've reached our food chains. They are frequently and easily ingested by marine fauna, from plankton to whales. Once in these food chains, they travel through mass-market food products or water bottles, thus finding a way to reach our dinner tables.

In April 2022, The Guardian newspaper confirmed the existence of microplastics lodged in the lung cavities of human beings. Microplastics were found in 11 out of 13 patients who underwent surgery. This discovery confirmed that microplastics can travel through our bodies via the bloodstream and lodge in our organs.

The presence of microplastics in our bodies can have repercussions on our health that are still being studied. This ingestion can impact our immune system, as well as our carcinogenic and hormonal systems, or contribute to the development of chronic diseases. For example, a 2021 study conducted in Brazil showed that the majority of microplastics found in autopsies originate from fragments of polyethylene, a compound associated with the manufacture of plastic bags.

How does Equal Food contribute to the fight against pollution? And how do we act to reduce our ecological footprint?

Our values ​​are intersectional, and our mission against food waste ensures our commitment to sustainability. There are three main ecological fronts in our fight against food waste:

Reducing the ecological footprint

At Equal Food, we strive to minimize the ecological footprint of transporting our (im)perfect food. We choose to invest in local and regional farmers and producers, and we design our routes in an optimized way. In other words, we work to shorten transport time and the consequent greenhouse gas emissions. In our work to reduce our ecological footprint, we also use deliveries made, in part, with electric vehicles. Thus, we plan and optimize our routes in order to emit the minimum possible emissions.

You can check all the delivery zones for our products here .

Sustainable partnerships

Regarding our partnerships with our local and regional farmers, we always ensure production with the greatest possible minimization of water and soil waste, as well as CO2 emissions used in their production. We seek to consolidate a sustainable value chain from our suppliers to the delivery of our products.

If you want to get to know our farmers, their stories and how we work together, you can find more information here .

Zero plastics policy

Furthermore, we minimize the amount of plastic used to package our products, with our baskets being 99% plastic-free. Our products are delivered in recycled cardboard boxes, and any food items that require a bag, such as mushrooms or blueberries, are packaged in reusable paper bags.

We believe we can work together to fight food waste, and do so through a sustainable and ecological supply chain. Free from industrialized products, single-use plastics, or irresponsible forms of transportation. If you identify with our values ​​and want to contribute to more sustainable value chains that perpetuate your future and allow you to eat healthily, Equal Food is the answer.

The ingredients that reach your table may be sabotaging your future. Don't contemplate a packaged existence, enjoy the change you can generate: show what you are (not) made of.