All Nippon Airways Co. announced Thursday that it will replace the plastic containers used to serve in-flight meals in its international economy class with eco-friendly packaging made from sugarcane pulp starting in August.
ANA will become the first domestic airline to adopt non-plastic packaging, in a move that stands to reduce the amount of plastic waste generated by 30%.
The new containers will be made of a fibrous material called bagasse, which is derived from crushed sugarcane. ANA has been developing the new packaging since 2019 in an effort to reduce their environmental footprint.
Containers for in-flight meals need to be easily moldable. They also need to meet safety requirements to ensure that lids stay securely fastened during transport and retain their shape when heated.
Bagasse satisfies these safety requirements at equivalent levels to plastic while also being less expensive to produce, cutting both waste and costs.
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