LET US BRING BACK THE PULP PAPER EGG TRAYS

LET US BRING BACK THE PULP PAPER EGG TRAYS

I recently revisited the humble egg tray—a small object we hardly notice, yet one that says a lot about how we treat our planet. The first pulp paper egg tray was invented in 1918 by British innovator Thomas Peter Hand, who had the bright idea of using molded paper pulp to protect each egg in its own little compartment. It was a simple, brilliant solution: biodegradable, lightweight, and made from waste materials like used paper and cardboard.

Now that we know who the genius was who invented the pulp paper egg tray, one can’t help but ask—who was the idiot who invented the plastic egg tray?

As it turns out, no one knows exactly. The plastic egg tray wasn’t the brainchild of any single inventor. It simply appeared in the post–World War II industrial era, when plastic began replacing everything from glass bottles to paper packaging. It was the age of convenience—durability over biodegradability, cost over conscience.

But now, in 2025, that convenience has come at an enormous environmental cost. While the world is shifting—slowly but surely—toward sustainability, plastic egg trays still flood our markets.

The Plastic Disconnect

Here’s something that bothers me: some brands that pride themselves on ethical farming still use plastic packaging. Take Best Buy Cage Free Eggs, for example. Whoever owns that brand deserves credit for promoting humane poultry practices—cage-free hens, a step toward animal welfare. But when it comes to packaging, they fail the sustainability test. It’s a contradiction: ethical to chickens, but not to the environment that sustains them.

This disconnect exposes a broader corporate problem. Companies like these need to realize that corporate responsibility doesn’t stop at the barnyard. It extends to every stage of the supply chain—including packaging, transport, and disposal.

The State of the Tray

According to industry data from 6Wresearch (2025–2031), the Philippine egg tray market remains divided between plastic and paper pulp, with plastic dominating commercial and industrial use. Plastic trays are durable, stackable, and reusable—perfect for cold storage and long-distance transport—but terrible for landfills and marine ecosystems.

Meanwhile, pulp paper trays, though fully biodegradable and compostable, are largely confined to smaller producers and local markets. And yet, these are the very trays that could help us transition to a circular economy—one where waste becomes raw material again.

Where Are the Regulators?

If the Department of Agriculture (DA) oversees poultry farms, and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regulates packaging standards, then shouldn’t the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have a say in how eggs are packed and sold?

Between these three agencies, one would expect some coordination. But so far, there seems to be a policy gap—no clear inter-agency effort to curb plastic egg tray use or promote biodegradable alternatives.

So, I ask:

• Why not issue incentives for companies that shift to pulp packaging?
  
  

• Why not have local government units (LGUs) require biodegradable trays in public markets?
  
  

• And why not support cooperatives or community enterprises to locally produce pulp trays using waste paper?
  
  

A ban would be ideal, but diplomacy and incentives might work faster. I believe many companies—especially those that claim to be sustainable—would respond positively if shown the economic and reputational benefits of going green.

A Call for Circular Thinking

Reviving pulp paper egg trays isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a circular design solution. It means turning trash (used paper, cartons, banana stems, even coconut husks) into something useful again.

Here’s a vision:

• Schools collect used paper waste.
  
  

• Barangay cooperatives process it using small-scale pulp molding machines.
  
  

• Local markets and poultry farms buy the trays.
  
  

• Used trays are collected, re-pulped, and remade.
  
  

This model creates livelihoods, reduces plastic waste, and builds community ownership of sustainability.

Some cities in India and Vietnam already have barangay-style micro-factories producing molded pulp packaging for eggs, fruits, and even electronics. Why can’t the Philippines follow suit? We have the skills, the waste paper supply, and the environmental motivation.

Beyond the Tray

This conversation goes beyond eggs. It’s about rethinking all packaging—from coffee cups to fish boxes. Every plastic tray, every foam container, is a missed opportunity for a circular system that could employ thousands and reduce pollution drastically.

Let’s stop being the country that imports problems and exports excuses. The pulp paper egg tray is a small but symbolic start.

We owe it to Thomas Peter Hand, the British inventor who used his genius to protect fragile eggs without harming the planet. Over a century later, it’s time for us to show the same ingenuity—not in creating more plastics, but in reviving what once worked perfectly well.

So here’s my suggestion:
Let’s bring back the pulp paper egg tray—not just as a product, but as a principle.
Because if we can’t even protect an egg sustainably, what hope do we have of protecting the Earth that gives us the egg in the first place?

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com 03-23-2026