Nampak issues recycled HDPE rallying cry in the UK

Friday, April 17 2015 Paul Hill – Plastics in Packaging

Packaging manufacturer Nampak has called for the dairy industry to maintain its support towards the recycled plastics markets amid a period of uncertainty. The African company has insisted that its support for recycled material and the ensuing environmental benefits have not wavered.

Recycled high density polyethylene (rHDPE) is a widely-used material in the production of milk bottles. However, falling oil prices have led to reports of financial issues at the UK’s largest rHDPE supplier Closed Loop Recycling, with stories circulating that certain dairy companies have switched back to virgin HDPE.

“At Nampak we feel very passionately about upholding the recycled plastics industry in the UK, and we want others to join us in supporting this initiative,” said Eric Collins, managing director of Nampak Plastics. “We have worked hard to make the industry greener and more sustainable through continuously pushing levels of rHDPE in our bottles, and levels are currently at an all time high.

“This issue has been at the very heart of the Nampak business right from the very beginning when we worked with recycling suppliers to introduce rHDPE into milk bottles as a world-first. We will continue to support the industry despite the uncertain economic future and pledge to maintain levels of rHDPE in our bottles.”

Nampak claimed the Green Product of the Year award at the British Engineering Excellence Awards in 2013.

Survey Shows Strong Public Support for Recycled Content in Plastic Bottles and Legislation to Mandate Recycled Content

Published in Packaging Europe News  |  March 31, 2015

The Resource Association, the trade association for the reprocessing and recycling industries and their supply chain, has released the results of a survey of public opinion conducted by respected pollsters YouGov, showing clear public support for the use of recycled content in plastic bottles and legislation to require manufacturers to use recycled content.

In an online survey of 2,006 people across Great Britain, 68% of adults supported an increase in the price of a two pint plastic milk bottle by 0.1p in order to ensure that bottles were made from at least 30% recycled material and also recycled after use (38% strongly support, 30% tend to support). Only 10% of adults were opposed.

In the same survey, 71% of adults would support the Government introducing legislation to require manufacturers/producers using a minimum amount of recycled content in products with plastic packaging (37% strongly support, 34% tend to support). Only 6% of adults were opposed.

Ray Georgeson, Chief Executive of the Resource Association said:  “The great British public ‘gets’ recycling, and is sending a clear signal to industry and retailers alike – they support the UK plastics recycling industry and would support the fractional additional cost of 0.1p on a two pint plastic milk bottle that it will take to sustain reprocessing of recycled plastic milk bottles in the UK. Interestingly, the public also support the idea of legislating to ensure that recycled content is used in plastic packaging.”

“The decision-makers in the supply chain must take note, wake up and act to support UK reprocessing through the storm of low oil prices and the turbulence this is causing to the sustainability of the UK plastic milk bottle processing infrastructure.”

“The public agrees with many in the industry that 0.1p a bottle is clearly a small price to pay for a sustainable recycling sector. It requires nothing more than those who made this important voluntary commitment – a commitment upon which our reprocessing infrastructure has been built – to fulfil their pledges under the Dairy Roadmap and Courtauld Commitment. They could do it this working day, and stem the growing uncertainty.”

For more information, visit www.resourceassociation.com

Embleton Hall Dairies to use new Inifini Milk Bottle Containing Food Grade Recycled HDPE

Editor’s Note: We ran across this article on Packaging Europe’s website, promoting the use of the Infini® milk bottle made with food grade recycled HDPE.  Food grade recycled HDPE is not currently used in milk bottle packaging in North America although FDA approved recycled HDPE is available in North America exclusively from Envision Plastics.  Our food grade recycled HDPE is marketed under the brand name EcoPrime™ and is suitable for packaging a broad range of food products including water, juices, yogurt drinks, coffee, tea, dairy creamers, cereal, nutritionals, syrups, condiments and many other products. 

Embleton Hall Dairies, based in Wingate, County Durham are launching the new 2 litre infini® HDPE recyclable milk bottle following extensive market research. Designed by Nampak Plastics, one of the UK’s leading plastic milk bottle manufacturers, infini® is the innovative next-generation, eco-friendly bottle.

Infini® has been designed to be lightweighted by up to 25% across the range without compromising strength, resulting in an initial weight reduction of 13% on the standard 2 litre bottle (33g vs 38g). Research has shown customers love its unique design and retailers love the combination of robustness and its environmental credentials.

When placed in the door of a fridge the handle position makes it easier for the consumer to remove the infini® bottle. The bottles are made of HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) and recycled HDPE (rHDPE). Every infini bottle contains up to 15% rHDPE. This recycled content will increase further in the future with a target of up to 30% by 2015.

HDPE plastic milk bottles are 100% recyclable and the consumer can recycle the infini® bottle in exactly the same way as a standard bottle. Also there is a carbon footprint saving over the standard bottle, resulting in approximately 75% of the research panel expressing their preference for the infini® bottle. The bottle achieved international industry recognition, picking up the top award in the ‘Best Dairy Packaging Innovation’ category at the Dairy Innovation Awards 2012, in addition to the World Packaging Organisation 2013 World Star Award.

Commenting on their change to the bottle, Paul Thompson, director of Embleton Hall Dairies said: “The design of milk poly bottles has remained unchanged since we started back in 1984, so we were very interested when Nampak approached us with a new design, in response to growing customer requests for a more environmentally-friendly form of packaging. That it improves bottle strength and reduces leakage rates is a massive bonus, and the results are good for both our customers and the environment”.

Carl Thorley of Nampak who worked with Embleton commented “Infini® is the result of a four year journey that my colleagues undertook in order to reduce the weight and carbon footprint of the standard milk bottle, but without compromising on its strength. It is ‘better by design’ and is playing an important role in helping the British dairy industry to meet its environmental targets and the support we have received from Embleton shows we are meeting the demands of the market.

More info:
http://www.nampak.com