The label designs on the lidding films have certainly whetted our appetites and help to illustrate how creativity can help to maximise shelf appeal. Packaging Automation will be showcasing their high-speed tray sealing technology. Compostable packaging can provide a solution to our struggling recycling system. Producers want action much sooner especially considering EPR is coming into force at least two years beforehand. If you want to take the next step with your recycling habits soft plastic recycling is the next step. And these materials are the deadliest plastic items in the sea says Greenpeace. Only 17% of UK local authorities currently collect plastic film and flexibles in kerbside collections, in what Co-op has branded a confusing postcode lottery. At Co-op, which installed points in 1,500 stores in July, the recovered soft plastic is sent to partner Jayplas. Slow Down. The plan is to roll out the scheme to 498 stores. In August, Tesco rolled out recycling points into all its large stores a move it says will collect more than 1,000 tonnes of soft plastics for recycling each year. But plastic film is being treated as an exception to other recyclable materials namely metal packaging, glass, paper and card and other types of plastic packaging which Defra expects all local authorities to collect from October 2023. This has resulted in recycling rates for plastic of this kind wallowing at just 5%, according to a 2019 Recoup household survey. A 2019 survey by The Grocer Vision and PwC found nearly a third of shoppers claimed to have switched their regular food brands because of their attitude to packaging. Aldi is working with its recycling partner, SWRNewstar, to establish the best routes for the plastics to be processed, it said. One key conclusion is locations should be identified where the collection and recycling of single-use plastics are problematic and where compostable materials could help to divert food waste from landfills. The collaborative impact of these initiatives, along with in-store recycling points, should help boost plastic recycling rates. If clothes and textiles are in a good condition then they are sold for re-use but if they arent suitable they go into new items. Supermarkets play a critical role to enable customers to recycle key items not collected at home. But brands and supermarkets alike know the flexible plastic problem will only truly be solved with one thing: nationwide kerbside collections. By offering a simple and convenient solution to an everyday issue, we believe we can help communities to make small changes that together will add up to a big difference for our environment, says Co-op Food CEO Jo Whitfield. Unlike other schemes, recyclers will only be paid if the plastic is definitely recycled. Suppliers demand: Suppliers of compostable packaging say an improved collection and recycling infrastructure and clearer product labelling are required to support the markets expansion, according to Packaging Insights. The Financial Times has explored how carbon food labels may change the way you shop. Thats a big problem for the planet. Applied mechanics: Mechanically-recycled food-grade polypropylene has performed well in full-scale packaging production trials. So in-store flexible plastic recycling points may be a good short-term solution. We are looking for willing individuals to help us fight food waste and encourage food waste recycling across the borough. This includes items like plastic bags, bread bags, breakfast cereal bags, frozen food bags, magazine/newspaper liners, fruit and beg bags and bubble wrap. The big suppliers have done their bit, so now should councils, argues Robbie Staniforth, head of innovation and policy at producer compliance scheme Ecosurety, which is leading the Flexible Plastics Fund. Earth & Wheats packaging solution also grabbed the headlines, including within Sustainable Packaging News,Packaging Scotlandand Flexible Packaging.
In Morrisons case, Nestl which has committed to all its packaging being reusable or recyclable by 2025 has partnered with the supermarket to handle the soft stuff. When mixed in with other recycling, plastic film has a tendency to snag on equipment and its inclusion could require significant investment in sorting infrastructure, consultation respondents noted. Packs used in the NextLoopp project showed excellent visual and processing characteristics with only minor but acceptable product variations between a 30% rPP pack and a virgin PP pack. Brands are also backing deposit return schemes (DRS), which are expected to boost recycling rates of other plastics though the plans have been stalled in Scotland and England by the pandemic. Supermarkets like Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, The Co-op and Waitrose are all offering plastic film recycling in some of their stores.
And more . It only launched in April, but already the plastics tax is under fire, The damage caused to soil by conventional plastics makes compostable packaging a particularly valuable alternative,says Daphna Nissenbaum, co-founder & CEO of TIPA, Lumina Intelligence: UK Food & Drink Reports, Pilgrims UK invests 10m into sustainability projects, Plastic bag use down 97% since charges introduced, new figures show. Subscribe and get the latest news direct to your inbox. The discounter this month announced the launch of a soft plastic packaging collection trial from October in selected stores. Sounds good on paper: A certified compostable and dual ovenable food tray based on paper has been developed by Australian food packaging manufacturer Confoil and BASF. Its a big financial hit the governments own calculation of cost to industry has rocketed from the 1.1bn estimated in 2019 to 2.7bn. By continuing to browse our website, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Defra says EPR fees will be used to support waste management services, and in turn the increased quantity and quality of recycling collected will help producers to meet packaging obligations and demonstrate that packaging placed on the market is properly recycled. And our newsletter direct to your inbox. That is translating to action in many cases. Focus on speed: At the Fruit Focus event, Proseal will showcase their localised support for the UK fresh produce sector by demonstrating a compact tray sealing model that maximises pack room space while delivering fast speeds. There, it is turned into post-consumer plastic granules, which are then made into products including bin liners, buckets and material for the construction industry. So we can expect maybe getting 10% or 15% of whats out there, he estimates. If you would like to help, we'd love to hear from you at cem@wokingham.gov.uk. The biopolymer can reportedly be used as an additive on existing film or to replace some of the fossil-based polypropylene currently used in packaging film. Until household collection of plastic film is fully in place, packaging labelling would need to instruct the consumer to take their film to the nearest front of store recycling point, or to check if the material can be recycled locally, it says. Of course, not all of this is within the power of producers themselves. Aldi says it is monitoring the trial closely, and, if successful, the recycling points will be rolled out to all 900 of its UK stores. Wonky solution: The UKs first wonky bread box is to use home-compostable bags from our C-Range, developed in partnership with Treetop Biopak. Substantial investment: A plastics recycling company has announced plans to invest 25 million in a former paper sorting plant so it can process post-consumer and post-industrial flexible plastics.
We have been advised that if there is on-going contamination of the recycling bins this service will be terminated.
In Australia, REDcycle (of which we are a partner) is a recovery initiative for post-consumer soft plastic with collection points in Coles and Woolworths supermarket stores. Earlier this year, WRAP released a guide to help retailers simplify recycling for their customers. The aim was to evoke the different layers of culinary expertise, discovery of flavours and decades of experience that go into creating the most authentic street food. So how far are supermarkets and their suppliers going to boost recycling rates of this troublesome material? Not logged in before? With 38years ofexperience delivering reliable packaging solutions for food manufacturers across the globe, our knowledge is second to none. Food packaging and plastic bags can be recycled at some Asda stores by using specified bins. Rollouts of collection bins across store estates have accelerated, supported by suppliers also working to provide a solution to the postcode lottery of kerbside collections.
Shoppers also expect the government to intervene on the issue. Supermarket recycling rates shock. The inclusion of plastic films will simplify recycling for households and will contribute to achieving the ambitious plastic packaging targets that will be placed on producers, it says. That is coming. Your old clothes go on to be new items such as padding or chairs and car seats, as well as cleaning clothes and industrial blankets. Morrisons says flexible plastic collected from points at six stores will be turned into new eco board products in the UK and will not be sent overseas for reprocessing. Our mono material polypropylene lidding films are a good example of products designed for recyclability. The plastic tax is failing just three months after launch. In a 2019 government consultation on consistency in household recycling, most stakeholders supported the inclusion of plastic film in the core set. Discover how we provided the solution. Sometimes you need to take giant steps and we believe that waste is one of those areas, says its sustainability procurement director Jamie Winter. The paper tray is coated inside with a partly bio-based and certified compostable biopolymer especially designed for coating food packaging made of paper or board. Find out more about K-Seal and K-Peel. And our newsletter direct to your inbox. The environment is right for these changes to be made.
The retailer launched recycling points in stores in 2019 enabling customers to bring back non-recyclable plastic packaging. In February, a trial across 63 stores in north east England offered customers the opportunity to bring back polypropylene film commonly used for items such as salad bags, frozen food bags and rice packaging for recycling. The introduction of DRS will further help the collection of flexible plastics by freeing up space on recycling collection vehicles, leaving them with a 36% average fill, according to recycling company Suez. The supermarket is now working with recyclers to explore what can be done with the remaining 20% of soft plastic, currently sent for energy recovery. You can learn more about cookies by visiting our privacy & cookies policy page. Its only natural: A bio-based cellulose film for food packaging has been developed by a Finnish technical research centre. Even though its rivals were rolling out their own recycling points, Co-op made the most of its own 2,300 store soft plastic acceptance. Short supply: A tiny fraction of plastic packaging returned to supermarkets is being recycled into food packaging, according to an exclusive investigation for Wicked Leeks. Deposit return scheme: government to reconsider time frame for rollout. Collect soft plastics here here: MPs have called for the kerbside collections of soft plastics. 
PepsiCo is a member of the Flexible Plastic Fund and is collaborating with other brand owners to get more of this material recycled. The supermarket joined the Flexible Plastic Fund initiative in May and has since widened the scheme to accept all flexible plastics at 520 Sainsburys locations. The supermarket says its target to reach at least 30% recycled content in Asda brand packaging is helping to stimulate the market for recycled content, enabling investment in new recycling infrastructure and technologies. The key principles include choosing plastics with a recycling stream in the EU, such as PE and PP for flexibles, and maximising the proportion of the primary polymer with mono-materials being the favoured solution. Stay updated with our latest news here. Heres the rub. Only include the following items. A step-by-step guide to plastic packaging recyclability has been published by RecyClass. The recycled material is now being used to pack various products. Five manufacturing giants have united to form a 1 million fund to help make flexible plastic recycling economically viable for recyclers and easier for consumers. Root Innovation has looked at the problem, including the EUs new Substantiating Green Claims initiative, which will require companies to prove any environmental declarations against a standardised methodology. In a recent sample, Tesco was able to recover over 80% of the soft plastic returned by customers. Ultimately, we want the material to be collected consistently and at scale via household collection to ensure we have high recycling rates. Have you ever used our textile recycling banks across the area? And besides, sorting centres will need to be reconfigured anyway after the loss of materials covered by DRS from kerbside collections, making them more ready to recycle flexible plastics. PET-eating enzyme: Scientists have discovered an enzyme that can degrade PET in record time via a process known as biological recycling. Everything which is collected goes on to be used in pipelines, the automotive industry, construction materials, furniture and household items. But 42% of local authorities wanted longer than 2023. Eventually. We are committed to providing solutions for recycling hard-to-recycle materials, such as film and coffee pods. In our regular knowledge articles and industry Wrap-ups this year, we have reported how the major supermarkets have installed points in their stores to collect the hard-to-cycle material. 
Those stores will feature easily accessible drop-off points at their entry points. However, Wrap modelling indicates that it is possible for around 80% of local authorities to make contract changes within three years of 2023. The enzyme reportedly causes PET to decompose by 90% within 16 hours, which could help solve the plastic waste problem. In July, recycling units for soft plastics were launched in 1500 Co-op stores, with the aim to offer the service at another 800 stores by the end of this year. Under the mantra Were bringing flexi back, the new collaborative fund is intended to give value to flexible plastics including plastic film lids so they are properly recycled. Morrisons this month launched six zero waste stores in Edinburgh, which will be able to operate with zero waste generated by the store or its shoppers by 2025. Sounds good on paper, too: A paper-based home-compostable wet food container is being produced by TIPA and G. Mondini. This includes the cost of collection, recycling and disposal, as well as criminal fly-tipping and litter collection. The move was a hit. And the government is acting in the form of EPR legislation. In order to create a truly circular economy, it is vital to implement the necessary infrastructure across the UK to ensure that packaging can be collected on a much wider scale.. Furthermore, there will be a producer fee modulation mechanism to incentivise positive outcomes such as increased recycling. This needs to happen earlier than the proposed date of 2026/27 and we are calling for all parties, from other bakery brands and our supply chains to wider industry partners and government, to work together in driving positive, lasting change., Jagannathan is similarly pressing for more urgent action. A new kind of store fixture is popping up in prime position in hundreds of supermarkets. Supermarkets also have the advantage of reverse logistics. It planned to roll them out across about 140 stores in the year ahead. In June, 520 Sainsbury's stores offered front-of-store recycling points for all flexible plastics, including peelable film lids. At the trial stores, 85% of customers said it helped them recycle more than they would have done otherwise. The key takeaways for retailers were: The guide supported the ambition of The UK Plastics Pact for supermarkets to provide widespread collection points for plastic bags and collect 10% of material placed onto the market by the end of 2022. The trial encompasses 37 branches in the north of England, and permits all clean flexible plastics that can be crunched up, stretched, squashed or unfurled.
You can also donate items to charities locally and the Charity Retail website will help you find the nearest one to take your items. The supermarket said it would collect data on the amount and types of plastic left by customers ahead of a wider rollout of the scheme. Iceland in July launched recycling points for soft plastics, introducing the bins in 13 branches of The Food Warehouse. Recycling containers should be easy to find and access. Flexible myth: The importance of mono material polypropylene laminates in flexible packaging has been highlighted by PFFC. Here's a summary of the major UK supermarkets' activity regarding the collection of flexible packaging: In May, Aldi added collection points to 20 stores with a view to developing a broader roll-out. However, soft plastic collection points are limited.
Carbon copy: Would you leave a beef fillet steak on the shelf if you were more aware of its high carbon footprint? When visiting, please remember to put all rigid plastic items such as plastic buckets, crates, bins, storage boxes, garden furniture, pipes, toys, reusable bottles, baby bottles or plastic plant pots into the designated containers. The responsibility cannot sit with supermarkets and suppliers alone, says CCEPs Hunt.
But theres tension between recycling stream stakeholders about how fast things should be moving. From the KM team stay safe, keep up the good work, and value plastic. They feature recycling points for customers to drop off the full range of recyclable materials including soft plastics and plastic bags. Meanwhile, plastic film used in the transport of goods to stores gets returned to distribution centres, and some of it returns as an Asda Bag For Life. Watch this cyberspace: A new website is coming soon from i2r Packaging Solutions. We hope that by boosting this infrastructure, government and local authorities will be motivated to quickly facilitate flexible plastic recycling in the UK by making it easy for consumers to recycle via household collections, he says. Yes you can recycle some plastic at Asda, Brighton Marina. But everyone involved in their development is hoping they will soon be obsolete. Theyre also starting to create a demand for the reprocessed material, incentivising the creation of the recycling infrastructure needed.. Frances will be taking over the position from July 11. In some Asda stores, shoppers can recycle plastic bags at specified bins. Morrisons has recently bought a significant stake in a new recycling facility in Scotland to process hard-to-recycle soft plastics. In September, Lidl launched a trial plastics bag and wrapping recycling scheme across stores in the West Midlands with a plan to expand the project nationwide. We know this wont happen overnight, but Defra should be ambitious; the sooner councils start to collect this material from households the quicker we will see infrastructure investments and, ultimately, closed-loop flexible packaging.. In-store collection points will capture only a fraction of grocery-generated soft plastics, says Kosior. The pellets were then used by Sealed Air in one of their existing plastic packaging designs while still meeting the performance requirements of Tescos own-label cheese supplier, Bradburys. Weve been determined to play our part and are investing millions to find the best solution to tackle plastic waste, but these investments can only go so far, Jagannathan says. Earth & Wheat found the Alan Lockhart, KM's Business Unit Director (UK & Ireland), recently discussed sustainability in packaging in the Juneedition © Copyright KM Packaging Services Ltd. 2022, Supermarkets Lead The Way With Shop and Drop Recycling Points, certified compostable and dual ovenable food tray, paper-based home-compostable wet food container, according to an exclusive investigation for Wicked Leeks, 25 million in a former paper sorting plant, mono material polypropylene lidding films, enzyme that can degrade PET in record time, developed by a Finnish technical research centre, a spray that creates a plant-based coating, showcasing their high-speed tray sealing technology, launching heavily-reduced plastic packaging. Her appointment follows the announcement in April that KM had become an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT). The trial will be used to provide critical insight on the volumes, type and level of contamination of the packaging collected. The consumer will to recycle is certainly there.
Defra plans to include plastic film in its core set of recyclable materials that have consistent kerbside collections by local authorities. Shoppers can bring back any soft plastic packaging for recycling and Tesco will recycle as much of this material as possible back into products and packaging sold in Tesco stores. Waitrose in May announced plans to retrofit drop-off points historically used to recycle plastic bags to accept an expanded range of flexible plastics, including crisp packets, sweet wrappers, bubble wrap and cling film. According to an Ipsos Mori poll conducted in 2018, 85% of UK consumers were either fairly or very concerned about plastic. It wont greenwash: Greenwash is the practice by which companies exaggerate claims that they benefit the environment. You dont have that depth of enthusiasm. This website uses cookies. As a result, research by Morrisons in 2019 found two-thirds of customers are unsure whether they can recycle such plastics including fruit & veg bags (64%), plastic wrap around toilet rolls (66%), and plastic bread bags (62%). Flexible or soft packaging includes crisp packets, food pouches, film lids, salad bags, and biscuit and cake wrappers, all of which are currently only accepted for kerbside collection by a small number of local authorities. Also, not to be outdone, dedicated recycling points for flexible pet food packaging were introduced by Pets at Home in August, which was claimed to be an industry first. They are designed for recyclability and are available as a weld or cold peel film. Clean it First, rinse your packaging out. Of the 2.4 million tonnes of plastic packaging placed on the market annually in the UK is plastic film and flexible packaging [Defra], The recycling rate for plastic of this kind, according to a 2019 Recoup household survey, Proportion of UK local authorities currently collecting plastic film and flexibles in kerbside collections, according to Wrap research, The UK Plastics Pact target for the proportion of total plastic packaging that will be effectively recycled or composted by 2025. It begs the question, why dont we have a more uniform collection?. Flexible fund fails to pay out.