Fish always cool, any one that was his origin

The EPS (poliestireno expanded) is the material of packed world-wide leader for fish and other marine products in any station of the year. The reason is very simple: it does not exist any another that equalise him in provision: high insulating capacity, resistance to the humidity and capacity of absorption of impacts between others. Besides, the fact to be a container monomaterial constituted in 98% by air, ensures a maximum optimisation of the use of natural resources in his process of manufacture and recycled.

Only a container that offer a low thermal sensors conductivity allows to satisfy some strict requirements, so much the derivatives of the rule like the ones of the point of view of the quality and hygiene, to which subject the professionals of the alimentary sector regarding the control of temperature of the products that manufacture. The insulating power of the poliestireno expanded is very elevated in relation with other materials of conventional packaging, essential property to ensure that it do not break the chain of cold of the fish or the seafood.

In the thermal sensors stability of the cool foods can influence distinct factors like the operations of load and download, the transport to the areas of storage, to the place of distribution and finally of the logistical centre to the point of sale. Other parameters of uncertainty that go in at stake are besides the reliability of the equipment of refrigeration in the warehouses, in the vehicles of transport and in the cameras of the point of sale. Thus, the correct election of the material of the container is crucial to ensure the correct conservation of the fish.

This type of cool product inherentemente has a high percentage of water, to what has to add the ice that uses to ensure his maintenance in an optimum temperature that avoid the proliferation bacteriana. The no hygroscopic character of the EPS, ensures that the fish do not deteriorate neither spoil by the loss of humidity. Besides, the packaging in boxes of poliestireno expanded allows the direct contact with the product without need to interpose any type of element between both (plastic bags/separadores, etc.), thanks to his hygienic character.

A fundamental appearance of a container is to have the sufficient capacity of adaptation to the peculiarities of the product. In the case of the fish and cool seafoods, there are species that require a hole in the inferior part of the box and, in other cases, need a form rounded or oval. The big versatility of the EPS, by his capacity of moldearse in all type of volumes, allows that the packaging adapt totally to the needs of the product.

To guarantee the maintenance of the quality of the fish, is fundamental that establish regulations that verify it. Through the prolix rule of control and regulation of plastic containers in contact with foods in the European field, guarantees that the containers of poliestireno expanded no only do not present any impact on the quality of the product, but they ensure his optimum conservation in front of the attack of the diverse environingingmental agents. In the following picture can see all the European rule that applies to the containers of EPS:

The material, entirely tested to check that it does not present any type of migration with regard to the specific product that goes to contain, enters in the market for an alone use, by what has the original sanitary ware guarantees of the factory; afterwards it recycles to 100%. descartan Like this the possible sanitary ware risks that they can have the little controlled disinfection in the case of reusable products

By all the properties exposed previously, is not of extrañar that the box of fish of poliestireno expanded continue leader in all the markets, world-wide, Europeans and also national. In the case of Spain, although the crisis has supposed a descent the ultimo year in the production of boxes of EPS, is a market that has remained stable from 2007 around the 12.000-13.000 tonnes, to which it is necessary to add the from the import of pertinent marine products of Europe.

The web www.fishboxes.info recopila information of data of European market and other appearances of interest this product.

Given the short period of useful life of a container, necessarily will be necessary to take into account his environingingmental load in the final equation to choose the most suitable material. For this, will analyse factors like the power and prime matter consumed during his production and the environingingmental impacts that causes (consumption of water, substances contaminantes issued to the floor and/or air, etc.), as well as the options of recycled or existent valorisation of his waste.

The commitment of the poliestireno expanded, no only is with the guarantee of quality of the product packed, but it goes further, ensuring a maximum optimisation in the use of natural resources in his production and giving a solution to the recycled of the box of fish once finalised his useful life.

A study of 2011 on the Analysis of the Cycle of Life of the Box of Fish realizar by PWC Ecobilan compares the behaviour of three boxes of fish of distinct materials: EPS, polipropileno corrugado and resistant cardboard to the water (uses data of French market, Spanish and Danish). The report puts of self-evident the advantages in environingingmental terms of the utilisation of the boxes of poliestireno expanded having in consideration the recycled.

In the case of the waste of EPS, his lightness and big capacity of adaptation they have been the two characteristics that have supposed a challenge in his management. The waste of packs and packaging of EPS generally present a big volume and low weight, which has delimited a lot his logistics. Conscious of this peculiarity of the material, the sector has centred his efforts in attaining an efficient management of his waste, identifying for this several options of recycled: from the mechanic for his back introduction in the process productive again until the production of new materials that serve of prime matter for new products (for example, CD, hangers, etc.). With this, deletes the phase of production of prime matter, main source of consumption of power and resources in the cycle of life of any product.

Does not be necessary to forget that the containers of EPS have a minimum fraction of prime matter (2%), being 98% remaining air, minimising even more therefore the quantity of resource that uses in his manufacture with regard to other materials of container/packaging. Thanks to his low weight, achieves that the transport of products embalados with EPS was more efficient, minimising like this the broadcasts of CO₂ derivative of his logistics.

In the field of Spain, the transformative industry of EPS has developed a pioneering initiative: the constitution of a network of Centres ECHO-EPS for the collected, treatment and reintroducción of the waste of EPS. Besides, like additional support to the Centres ECHO-EPS, and with the end to identify to all the agents that treat waste of poliestireno expanded and the treatment that gives them , is developing a network of public information where identify all the agents that manage the waste of EPS. Incidentally, the industry is engaged with the development of projects and initiatives of R&D that continue improving the appearances surroundings to the recycled and the provision of the product.

Once identified all the properties of the material regarding the packaging of marine products frescos and the legal frame that guarantees his quality and suitability for this application, can understand more easily the success of the boxes of fish of EPS, as it endorses it the stability of his market along the 10 last years. Finally and no less important, resaltar the commitment of the industry with the sustainability and the efficiency in the use of resources through the initiatives mentioned previously.