recycling

The NFC-enabled digital identification technology will work alongside conventional deposit return and recycling schemes with the aim of encouraging more consumers to recycle plastic packaging.

The technology is being developed by UK-based flexible electronics provider PragmatIC in an initiative known as SPRITE (sustainable plastics recycling innovation by tagging electronically) and supported by the UK government’s Sustainable Innovation Fund.

UK-based technology retailer Dixons Carphone has introduced a scheme allowing customers to recycle expanded polystyrene (EPS) packaging at Currys PC World stores.

The launch follows a successful recent pilot programme conducted at 14 stores for six weeks.

Customers can initially drop off only EPS associated with TV packaging, but Dixons Carphone will aim to make other types of packaging available to collect depending on consumer demand and uptake rate.

“It is important to us to reduce our impact on the environment where possible,” said Katie Camlin, Digital and Social Media Coordinator at Kansas City Bier Company. “Glass bottles are both reusable and recyclable, and working with Ardagh, a domestic manufacturer, reduces shipping distances greatly.”

In 2021, Kansas City Bier filled more than 2.6 million glass beer bottles, supplying fresh, local, German-style lagers and ales throughout Missouri and Kansas.

A player committed to the circular economy and a major supplier of sustainable and recyclable packaging solutions; DS Smith France has collaborated with the Carrefour distributor to produce 3 large-format cardboard toys. Manufactured in 200,000 copies, they will be distributed from March 28 in all Carrefour brands (hypermarkets, supermarkets, and convenience stores) throughout France, as well as on Carrefour.fr.

HEINZ, maker of the world’s favorite ketchup and beloved condiments, is teaming up with Pulpex to develop a paper-based, renewable and recyclable bottle made from 100 percent sustainably sourced wood pulp. Innovating its iconic ketchup bottle, HEINZ is the first sauce brand to test the potential of Pulpex’s sustainable paper bottle packaging for its range of world-famous condiments.

WestRock Company, a leading provider of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, has announced a partnership with Recipe Unlimited to implement a suite of recyclable paperboard packaging, intended to divert 31 million plastic containers from landfills across Canada each year. The packaging began appearing at Swiss Chalet restaurants in October, 2021 and is now available across all its locations. 

Responding to the increased market demand for post-consumer recycled (PCR) packaging solutions, flexible packaging leader, ProAmpac, announced the launch of its unique ProActive PCR® Retort pouches. Both EU and FDA compliant for food contact in retort applications, ProActive PCR Retort pouches are designed for pet and human food packaging.

ProActive PCR Retort pouches offer 30 weight percentage or greater PCR content, reducing the use of virgin resins in the packaging. In addition, these innovative pouches comply with the United Kingdom (UK) Plastics Packaging Tax (PPT).

Plastics are exceptionally useful materials for packaging and all kinds of consumer items, but poorly managed plastic waste contributes to land and ocean pollution. This problem can, in principle, be prevented by recycling (Fig. 1). However, many plastic products were not designed for mechanical recycling, which involves melting and reprocessing, and therefore produces lower-quality material than the original plastic.

Recycling units for ‘soft’ plastics – which also includes product wrapping – will launch in 1,500 Co-op stores this month. The retailer added that the scheme would roll out to a total of 2,300 stores by November.

The Co-op said that the scheme follows a pilot of 50 stores last year which found that 86% of shoppers were likely to use the service. The recyclable material is turned, by Jayplas, into post-consumer plastic granules which are then made into secondary products including bin liners and materials for the construction industry.