FEDIAF believes that the government, industry and individuals have a collective responsibility to maintain a sensible balance between the needs of the population and the necessity to protect the natural environment from irreversible damage.
FEDIAF and its members are committed to their responsibility to the environment
In addition to being responsible, the pet food industry endeavours to be efficient and at the forefront of technology. This means it can minimise the use of resources while maximising safety standards.
Concern for environmental and ethical issues has led to a number of voluntary policies within the industry and has encouraged the efficient use of energy in the production of raw materials and packaging, in pet food manufacture and transportation.
This industry is one of the oldest to commit to recycling. Its use of by-products from the human food industry not only prevents the need for final disposal but also is financially efficient. The disposal reduces the price of meat for human consumption and the demands on the human food chain.
Members are skilled in converting by-products to added value products, which ensure proper nutrition for the pet population.
FEDIAF supports:
- The efficient use of all resources for the production of safe, palatable and nutritious pet food.
- The responsible design, operation and maintenance of processes and plants to minimise adverse environmental impact on the local community and, in particular:
- To minimise emissions into the environment
- To minimise objectionable odours
- To improve the appearance of manufacturing sites and premises.
- The use and development of packaging, which makes fewer demands on irreplaceable resources and can be disposed of in ways, which cause minimum impact to the environment – all without loss of technological efficiency or safety.
- Schemes for the reduction, reuse, recycling and incineration of waste in order to reclaim energy.
- Only labelling which is clear, unambiguous and not misleading to consumers about the environmental impact of a particular product.
FEDIAF aims to keep itself and its members informed about relevant European and national environmental requirements. Accordingly, FEDIAF recognises that legislation to protect the environment should be based on sound scientific evidence. Where appropriate, this should be developed at European Union level to ensure compatibility with the policies.
In January 2022, FEDIAF signed the EU Code of Conduct, following the example of many other organisations, like FoodDrinkEurope. By signing the Code, FEDIAF will seek to support and contribute to the aspirational objectives that it sets out, where applicable to the pet food sector. Moreover, it subscribes to the Code’s obligations, such as disseminating and promoting it amongst its members to encourage more sustainable practices and explore the possibility of developing sector-specific tools and resources. Finally, FEDIAF will also provide an annual report of its activities as well as pursue dialogue with stakeholders and policy-makers.
FEDIAF Position Paper: Towards Circularity of Pet Food Packaging
As a pet food industry, we believe that ensuring a high level of pet food safety and preventing waste should be central objectives in the transition towards a circular economy. Read our Position Paper here.
FEDIAF Cross-Industry Position Paper on Flexible Packaging Value Chain
To achieve a climate-neutral Europe by 2050, FEDIAF and other organisations call upon legislators in Europe and the Member States to create an appropriate and stable legislative framework which enables investments in packaging design as well as in capacities and advanced technologies for recycling. The full position paper can be found here.
FEDIAF position paper on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive
FEDIAF welcomes the ambitious climate package and supports mainstreaming of renewable energy across all economic sectors. Our members have made several commitments in this area already. As the EU takes bold steps towards decarbonizing transport, it is important to ensure coherence with established policies such as circular economy and food and feed security. This is particularly relevant when valuable by-products are used for biofuels, diverting raw materials from sectors which have for decades used them in line with the waste hierarchy. The full position paper can be found here.
