BIODEGRADABLE MATERIALS IN FLORISTIC PACKAGING: CURRENT TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS

Abstract

The article examines current issues and prospects for the implementation of biodegradable materials in floral packaging. It determines that floral packaging generates a significant volume of short-lived waste. This waste directly affects the environmental condition of urban areas and the financial sustainability of waste management systems. The transition to biodegradable materials in this segment gains economic relevance due to rising disposal costs and stricter regulatory requirements. The article has applied value. It systematically integrates environmental indicators with the economic performance of floral enterprises. The study analyzes industry reports, statistical data on the floral packaging market, and results of empirical research on the use of biodegradable materials. It applies methods of comparative environmental and economic analysis, structural cost comparison, and market dynamics forecasting. The analytical approach is supplemented by a tabular generalization of indicators for different scales of activity within the floral business. The study establishes that the economic efficiency of biodegradable floral packaging emerges after accounting for the full cost cycle, including disposal and energy consumption. It identifies a reduction in non-recyclable waste volumes and a decrease in the load on waste collection systems following the transition to alternative materials. It demonstrates that economies of scale significantly affect the speed of investment payback for large retail chains. The study assesses environmental benefits in monetary terms through reduced costs of municipal systems. It substantiates a forecast of growth in the biodegradable floral packaging market by 2030, subject to the development of recycling infrastructure. It proposes an environmental and economic approach to evaluating floral packaging with consideration of industry specifics. For the first time, it integrates market, infrastructure, and environmental indicators within a single analytical model. The obtained results provide a basis for substantiated managerial decisions in the field of sustainable development of the floral industry.