The trials have involved High Street names Boots, Coca-Cola and Marks & Spencer using recovered PET to make new packaging for food and household products.
 After successful trials with its “Ingredients” shampoo range, Boots have said they will use recycled plastic in more product lines |
Market development organisation WRAP has said the trials have demonstrated the viability of using recycled plastics in making new packaging containers.
The project has included tests of recovered PET in millions of Diet Coke bottles, salad and sandwich packs and shampoo bottles.
WRAP said the tests, some of which involved London-based organisations London Remade and Closed Loop London, had shown that recycled plastic “meets technical, commercial and safety requirements demanded by retailers”.
After the conclusion of the trials, Coca-Cola, Marks & Spencer and Boots have all said they would like to continue using recycled plastic in their packaging. The continued use will depend on the availability of the material.
“Viable”
Martin Rodgers, rPET project manager at Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE), said: “The trial has demonstrated that recycled material is a viable option for CCE, both in terms of quality and energy consumption.
“We would like to continue to use rPET and are currently working with our supply partners to assess if there is sufficient material available to make this feasible,” Mr Rodgers added.
Dr Helene Roberts, head of packaging for Marks & Spencer said customers had reacted “very positively” towards the company using recycled plastics, and suggested the continuation of use would be “a key part of our strategy”.
Boots, meanwhile said its use of recovered PET in its “Ingredients” shampoo range would be rolled out to other products. Andrew Jenkins, sustainable development manager for Boots, said: “Feedback has been positive from production and customers alike.”
“Breakthrough”
Jennie Price, WRAP chief executive, declared: “This is a major breakthrough for plastics recycling in the UK.
“This type of commitment from major brand names signals a growth in demand for rPET, which will in turn stimulate UK recycling capacity and will also show consumers that there is a strong home market for the plastic they recycle – helping to motivate them to recycle more,” Mrs Price explained.
PET plastic – polyethylene terephthalate – is currently used for a “significant proportion” of plastic bottles and trays, and WRAP believes demand for recovered PET is growing faster than for any other kind of recovered plastic.
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But in growing the current 30,000 to 40,000 tonne market for recovered PET, WRAP said more would have to be done to increase collections from the household waste stream.
Peter Skelton, WRAP's materials development manager for plastics, said: “Well over half of UK households now have access to local collection services or facilities. More efforts are needed, however, to continue to encourage people to use these schemes.”
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