85% of milk bottles hit 2010 recycled content target

Simeon Goldstein, packagingnews.co.uk, 20 May 2010

 

UK milk producers are on course to meet packaging targets in the Milk Roadmap after revealing that 85% of plastic bottles sold contain 10% recycled material.

 

The Roadmap was launched in 2008 and set a target of 10% recycled material in milk packaging by this year rising to 30% and 50% by 2015 and 2020 respectively.

 

After a review last week, DairyCo chairman Tim Bennet, who also chairs the Milk Roadmap Taskforce, said he was extremely impressed by the response to the targets that "make economic and environmental sense".

 

Jim Begg, director general of sector trade body Dairy UK, said: "Processors have clearly prioritised the environmental agenda and are well on their way to meeting or beating the 2010 targets.

 

"Already 85% of plastic milk bottles are meeting the 10% recycled material target while processors have continued to improve energy efficiency."

 

Last month, Sainsbury's revealed that it had met the 10% recycled content target for this year.

 

Earlier this year HDPE bottle-producer Nampak hit the 10% target for its own output.

 

Milk and dairy products account for less than 3% of English greenhouse gas emissions. About half of production is for drinking milk with the rest destined for products such as butter, cheese and yoghurts.

 

 

 

 

 

Nampak links with Closed Loop to boost milk bottles' recycled content

Simeon Goldstein, packagingnews.co.uk, 02 August 2007

 

More recycled material could be used in milk bottles following an agreement between Nampak Plastics and recycling and reprocessing company Closed Loop London (CLL).

 

From summer 2008, CLL has committed to supply the packaging group with up to 6,000 tonnes of recycled HDPE per year for use in its UK operations.

 

Nampak has been involved in a Marks & Spencer trial to test customer acceptance of recycled material in milk bottles in conjunction with the Waste and Resources Action Programme.

 

It currently supplies bottles with 10% recycled content, but hopes that the agreement with CLL will enable it to reach 30% by 2009.

 

Nampak commercial director James Crick said the agreement made HDPE bottles with recycled content "widely available" for the first time.

 

"This contract allows us to improve the green credentials of a product that is already a firm consumer favourite," he added.

 

CLL's £12m recycling and reprocessing plant in Dagenham is due to open in December.