Can economic benefits foster sustainability? A preliminary study on the transition from polystyrene to polypropylene boxes in selected Italian fisheries

The fishing industry has historically relied on the use of expanded polystyrene (EPS) and, sometimes, on wooden boxes for fish transport. However, these materials pose significant environmental and hygienic challenges, particularly due to the persistence of polystyrene in marine ecosystems and the porosity of wood, which undermines food safety. This study investigates the adoption of polypropylene-based eco-sustainable boxes, assessing the economic viability by a scenario simulation approach applied to a total of six case studies from the Italian fishing fleet. The findings indicate that the transition to polypropylene (PP) eco-boxes improves profitability across all fishing fleets with large scale fisheries (trawling and purse seine fleets) achieving increases in gross profit never below +21%. Smaller or less intensive fleets (longliners) see more modest average gains (in gross profit terms) between of +2.5% over the long-term horizon. So, although initial investments are higher, PP eco-boxes lead to cost savings over time, enhanced profitability and compliance with environmental and food safety standards. Furthermore, these initiatives have the potential to facilitate traceability and valorization of fish products, thereby increasing the overall benefits deriving from the utilization of eco-sustainable boxes. The study concludes that eco-sustainable boxes represent a feasible and beneficial innovation for the Italian fishing sector, with scalability potential across the Mediterranean.