As the food, beverage and pet food sectors intensify their commitment to sustainability, Hydropac Managing Director, Colin Rowland, is urging the cold chain industry to address a significant environmental blind spot: the microplastic pollution caused by conventional gel ice packs used in millions of daily deliveries.
Hydropac’s Switching Sides campaign – an industry-wide initiative – has been launched to combat this growing issue and aims to reduce waste, raise awareness, and encourage a shift towards truly sustainable cold chain solutions.
This comes as the cold chain industry faces mounting pressure to improve sustainability across all components, including the often-overlooked ice packs essential for temperature control.
The Hidden Environmental Impact of Gel Packs
Many brands – particularly those in the meal prep, direct-to-consumer (DTC), fresh food delivery, and pet food industries – use gel ice packs as a core part of their cold chain logistics. These ice packs are often inaccurately labeled as ‘sustainable’ and ‘reusable’ and Hydropac warns that these misleading eco claims should be a growing concern.
“The issue goes beyond greenwashing; it’s a real environmental and food safety threat,” says Colin Rowland. “Gel-based ice packs often contain polymer derivatives, including sodium polyacrylate – the same substance used in nappies – which does not break down naturally. If disposed of incorrectly, it can clog drains, contaminate soil and waterways, and ultimately re-enter the food chain through microplastic pollution.”
Leaking gel packs can also contaminate food during transit, creating hygiene and safety concerns, particularly for raw meats, seafood, and perishable goods. The gel can seep into packaging which compromises food safety, leading to waste.
Worse still, some brands instruct consumers to pour the gel down the drain or use it for watering plants, which is both unsafe and environmentally irresponsible. When disposed of incorrectly, they release microplastics into our water systems, impacting aquatic life and entering the food chain.
Industry-Wide “Switching Sides” Initiative Launched
In response to these concerns, Hydropac has launched “Switching Sides” – an industry-wide initiative to transition the cold chain sector from gel to water-based ice packs. The campaign includes a Carbon Offset Calculator that allows companies to quantify environmental impact and make evidence-based decisions.
“Consumers are becoming far more educated about what ‘sustainability’ actually means,” adds Rowland. “They’re actively rejecting brands that engage in greenwashing, and misleading environmental claims can damage reputations and erode trust.”
“Sustainability in the cold chain can’t be a tick-box exercise,” concludes Rowland. “It’s time for the industry to step up, reject greenwashing, the significant environmental and food safety risks gel packs bring, and embrace real change.”
Leading food delivery companies have already adopted water-based alternatives as part of their sustainability strategies.
Supply Chain Sustainability Metrics
Hydropac’s Carbon Offset Calculator provides measurable impact assessment for supply chain sustainability reporting, allowing companies to:
- Estimate the carbon footprint of current gel pack usage
- Calculate potential microplastic pollution reduction
- Convert environmental impact into equivalent trees saved
- Generate ESG-ready metrics for sustainability reporting
The Future of Cold Chain Packaging
As regulatory scrutiny intensifies, brands are under increasing pressure to verify environmental claims and eliminate greenwashing. The cold chain sector, with its reliance on temperature-controlled packaging, remains particularly vulnerable.
Water-based ice packs, containing only natural filtered and UV sterilized water in recyclable LDPE film made from recycled content, represent a measurable improvement over polymer-based alternatives.
More information about the Switching Sides initiative and Carbon Offset Calculator is available at https://hydropac.co.uk/.
