Despite being considered non-recyclable by some Design for Recycling Guidelines, the three companies were able to effectively de-ink and convert the rigid containers into high-quality white recyclates, without the need for altering the ink formulation or print design. This was achieved by utilizing hot caustic washing, a standard process for PET bottle recycling that is increasingly adopted also by recyclers who are working with polyolefin (PO) and PS rigid streams.

The findings underscore the need for guidelines to evolve with technological advancements in recycling, ensuring they reflect the most efficient and sustainable routes to a circular packaging economy. The project partners advocate for a reevaluation of the role of printing inks and coatings in recycling, calling for a broader assessment of packaging deinkability under standard hot caustic conditions and adoption of the corresponding test standard published under DIN SPEC 91496. This viewpoint is well aligned with the position paper recently issued by EuPIA.

For detailed information on the project, its methodology and findings, please refer to the full document available at https://greinerpackaging.canto.de/b/LCC52.

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Own Label milk bottles from the stores’ relevant vending machines and staff refreshments are collected from One Stop’s distribution centres by Veolia on a weekly basis and then the recycling begins.  

Veolia takes the milk bottles to its Dagenham Plastic Facility where they begin their recycling journey. The bottles are washed, shredded and turned into pellets which can then be blown back into milk bottles and ready to use again! 

Simon Futcher, commercial business development director at Veolia said: “Veolia is delighted to be working closely with One Stop to recycle their milk bottles, ensuring we reduce their carbon impact on the environment. 

“This partnership aligns with Veolia’s purpose of ecological transformation and demonstrates a closed loop recycling solution. Turning used milk bottles into fresh ones replaces the need for raw materials and saves 67% of carbon emissions at the same time.” 
 
Amriene Kalsi, sustainability manager at One Stop said: “We’re so pleased to be working with Veolia on this new initiative. It’s certainly another key step towards our goal of increasing recycling within our own operations, contributing to our target of meeting net zero by 2050.” 

The convenience retailer, which is transforming through its sustainable journey, has also recently replaced its green hard-to-recycle bottle tops on their British semi-skimmed standard milk with clear recyclable lids. 

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The 50,000 tonne capacity line at Stora Enso’s production unit in Ostrołęka, Poland, handles solely beverage carton material separation, detaching fibres from polymers and aluminium. The fibres are then recycled into cardboard materials, effectively contributing to material circularity by turning used paper-based packaging into new paper-based packaging materials. This new paper recycling facility is complemented by Czech company Plastigram Industries, that, together with Tetra Pak, is industrialising a solution to recycle polyAl into new products.  

“For decades, we have been working to enhance beverage carton recycling capacity, co-investing with recyclers, technology providers and suppliers in new equipment and facilities” comments Lars Holmquist, EVP sustainability and communications at Tetra Pak. “In 2022, Tetra Pak contributed nearly €30 million to collection and recycling projects worldwide, with plans to go further and invest up to €40 million annually over the next years. As part of the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE), we support the industry ambition to increase the collection for recycling rate of beverage cartons to 90% and the recycling rate to 70%, in the EU, by 2030. I am very pleased to see that our collaboration with Stora Enso translates into one of the largest recycling hubs for beverage cartons in Europe, contributing to this ambition. This is also an excellent example of how systemic and collective actions can help keep quality renewable materials in the loop, such as paper fibres from recycled cartons.” 

Hannu Kasurinen, EVP packaging materials at Stora Enso, adds, “We are very pleased to see the results of our close cooperation with Tetra Pak, who, like Stora Enso, has the development of sustainable solutions at their core. This new modern solution marks a significant addition to European recycling capacity and a concrete step forward in the circularity of consumer packaging. In addition to complementing the current scope of our production site in Poland, the recycling facility will significantly contribute towards the recycling and waste reduction goals of the EU’s proposal for a Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.” 

The new line is signalling the beverage carton industry’s willingness to support the circularity goals of the proposed EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), showcasing the pivotal role of recycling in helping the green transition of the food packaging sector, Tetra Pak says. The industry has already invested approximately €200 million to increase the capacity for beverage carton recycling in the EU and plans to invest a further €120 million by 2027. 

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The total investment is €29.1 million. Stora Enso will invest €17 million into a new repulping line that will recover the carton fibres, while Tetra Pak, along with Plastigram, will invest a total of €12.1 million to build an additional line. This will recover and separately recycle the polymers and the aluminium, using a patented separation technology. Both lines will be operational by the beginning of 2023.  

The separated materials will be used as raw materials for various end applications. Recycled fibres will be integrated into Stora Enso’s recycled board. The separated polymers and aluminium will be given new life in the form of different kinds of products, such as crates and foils.  

The investment aims to contribute to the development of a circular economy at a country level. It will also be fully aligned with the European Green Deal. The collected cartons will be managed in an environmentally sound manner, making full use of the materials resulting from the recycling process.

“Today, carton packages are recyclable. They are collected and recycled at scale where waste management and recycling infrastructure is in place. But for us, that’s not enough. We are seeking opportunities across the entire recycling value chain to improve how cartons get recycled and to develop solutions that effectively recycle all packaging components, including polymers and aluminium. Therefore, I am very proud of this investment as well as of the strong partnership with Stora Enso that made this advancement possible. Collaborative action is key to realise our ultimate ambition – a world where all carton packages are collected, recycled and never become litter,” says Charles Brand, president of Tetra Pak Europe & Central Asia.  

“Stora Enso delivers packaging materials produced from renewable sources. With this development we can advance towards a greater degree of recyclability, a critical factor in enabling a circular bioeconomy. We are delighted to join forces with Tetra Pak in what will be another important milestone towards the fully circular future we expect to realise. Moreover, as EU collection systems continue to evolve, the project holds potential to increase capacity for future excess volumes,” says Hannu Kasurinen, executive vice president of Stora Enso’s Packaging Materials division.  

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Almost 80% of the world consumes dairy products, causing high demand — and a problem where action needs to be taken to reduce environmental impact. Here, rural energy operator Flogas provides an overview on what this booming industry is doing to make a change and tackle carbon emissions…

The Dairy Roadmap

Western food is one of the main reasons the industry has such a high demand. But with this demand comes the need to reduce carbon emissions too. Add to this, the legally binding commitment that the UK will reach net zero emissions by 2050, and means that reducing emissions becomes a race against time.

Promising signs are already filtering through, though. Companies such as Arla Foods, Müller, and Yeo Valley, are heading towards a greener future. In fact, the British dairy sector is ‘world-leading’ for sustainability, according to Dairy UK. This has been helped by the Dairy Roadmap, a sustainability scheme launched in 2008.

The Dairy Roadmap is always innovating and is now ensuring that dairy energy is becoming as clean as possible as a fuel source.

Saving water

Despite the reliance on water for processes, consumption is down nearly 24 per cent. They have also introduced a range of water-saving measures to decrease its environmental impact.

These measures include:

• Water mapping projects
• Rainwater harvesting to reverse osmosis
• Reduced freshwater abstraction
• Optimised Cleaning in Place (CIP) systems.

Recycling drive

Since 2008, dairy farmers have been increasing their efforts to recycle more. 65 per cent of waste was recovered or recycled in the same year, and the remaining 35 per cent was sent to landfill. Now, the dairy industry recycles or reuses 94 per cent of its waste, with the ambition to reach 100 per cent soon.

Climate change

When it comes to climate change, there’s been a 20 per cent increase in primary energy efficiency (kWh/tonne). Widespread use of ozone-depleting hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC) refrigerants has also been eliminated.

The next major milestone is for emissions to be reduced even further, with the adoption of cleaner fuels, such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), necessary to reduce emissions by 30 per cent.

Plastic packaging

One major concern continues to be plastic waste. However, in the world of dairy, major changes have already been implemented. In fact, this industry uses some of the most recycled and reused packaging of all consumer products.

Reduced food waste

Reducing food waste isn’t a plain sailing task for any industry, never mind one so engrossed in food production. In 2016, most of the potential food waste (produce not meant for consumers) was used in a more environmentally friendly fashion. Just over 60 per cent was recovered for animal feed and redistribution. And a further 23 per cent was used for anaerobic digestion or biogas production.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is one way for improvements to be made. In Dairy UK’s 2018 biodiversity strategy, the organisation called for big changes to be made to improve their biodiversity status. Processors have started to engage in projects within their local communities to help reintroduce native species in opportune spaces around their processing plants.

As the industry continues to work on reducing its carbon footprint, it appears that a green future is on the horizon. By following targets set out in the Dairy Roadmap, the industry has proven that it can revolutionise its processes and, with future targets in place, we can expect more improvements to soon follow.

[Statistics source: The UK Dairy Roadmap, 10th Anniversary Report]

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Our allotment space

This weekend, it was about structure for the plot – I managed to get a load of decking planks from a neighbour, and then a friend was getting rid of a bench. My car is filthy, but the walkways look great and there is a place to sit at the back, among the artichokes and near the stick of a fig tree. I am now on the lookout for a little table.

This too, was all about recycling. A plastic bench that would have been sent to landfill has now been moved to the plot for years of use. It even has storage. The decking will provide pathways so I can clamber along them with the hose (which was also recycled from a neighbour years ago – it’s probably more tape than hose at this point).

So, the news that Trimona is has a fully recyclable yogurt pot from Greiner Packaging is good news. Other yogurts have been following the same route. If you get hold of a Yeo Valley kerned yogurt, it’s the same.

However, the recycling systems in different countries don’t always get all the plastic we humans produce. Here in the UK, different councils use different recycling formats, and since there are about 350 councils, it leads to a lot of confusion.

Politics has a hand, as we all know only too well. How and when your rubbish gets collected is a political item, and depending on where you live, it can be collected every fortnight, or weekly. You can put some things in bags and other items in bins. This changes from town to town.

As humans, it’s a lot for our brains to process, never mind ones who have been dealing with a pandemic and lockdowns for a year. However, WRAP (wrap.org.uk) is here to help in the UK.

• Suzanne Christiansen, editor, Dairy Industries International.
  Keep in touch via email: suzanne@bellpublishing.com
  Twitter: @dairyindustries or LinkedIn: Dairy Industries International magazine.

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Launched in 2008, the Dairy UK Environmental Benchmarking Survey has charted the continuous environmental improvement of UK dairy processors. This year’s survey report has shown dairy processors making yet further strides including:

• 20% increase in primary energy efficiency (kWh/tonne);
• 17% decrease in energy related carbon per kg milk (kg CO₂/kg);
• 20% increase in water efficiency (m³/tonne);
• 94% of ex-factory waste is recycled or recovered;
• 23% average recycled content by weight across all packaging.

Yet again the results from the Benchmarking Survey have shown dairy processors making positive progress made across the entire dairy processing sector and continuing to build their commitments to continuous environmental improvement set under the Dairy Roadmap.

These results come as the sector conducts a wider review of the Dairy Roadmap, looking at a programme of work examining how the dairy sector can contribute to the delivery of Net Zero, with a series of workshops underway across the supply chain to engage stakeholders on the topic.

Commenting on the results from this year’s Benchmarking Survey, Dr Judith Bryans, chief executive of Dairy UK said: “This year’s Benchmarking Survey is a testament to the seriousness and proactivity with which dairy processors treat their environments. In these sustained improvements made over more than a decade, the industry shows that sustainability is not a topic taken lightly and that companies are committed to improving year in and year out.”

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With demand for food grade recycled High Density Polyethylene (rHDPE) currently outstripping supply, the agreement will see Biffa continue to supply the recycled material that is used to make Müller’s fresh milk bottles.

The rHDPE fresh milk bottles are already 100% recyclable and, following substantial investment by Müller to enable it to manufacture its own fresh milk packaging, up to 40% of the plastic can be made from recycled material.

Müller is continuing to lower its use of plastic and in 2019, following an innovative lightweighting exercise, the company managed to remove a further 840 tonnes of plastic per annum from its fresh milk packaging.

The business recently became the first dairy company in the UK to offer fresh school milk with paper straws and has committed to removing all plastic straws from its products in 2020.

Brendan Power, commercial director at Müller Milk & Ingredients said: “We are more positive about the future because we’re turning our fresh milk business into a lean, agile and customer centric operation.

“Our customers have made commitments to use an average of 30% recycled content in their plastic packaging, and consumer demand for innovative solutions continues to grow. We’re listening and aligning to their needs.

“Most of our packaging is made on site, not trucked in from elsewhere. So with this long term supply agreement, and our unique capability to pursue further inhouse innovation, we are able to offer our customers a leading plastics proposition.”

Commercial manager at Biffa Polymers, Chris Hanlon, commented: “We are delighted to help Müller improve its usage of high-quality food grade recycled plastic. We are a trusted partner for dairy manufacturers and are committed to supporting them achieve their sustainability targets with innovative, industry leading technologies.”

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Developed for one of Emsur’s customers, Nestlé Chile, the unique feature of this banderole is its releasing layer that enables users to remove the label without tearing the paper so it is easier to separate it from the container, thus contributing to the recyclability of plastics. This is another breakthrough for Nestlé, which last year announced its commitment to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

There are two structures available for this banderole, monolayer or duplex, to meet the needs of different market segments such as yogurts, desserts or beverages. This solution is commercially available in Chile for the Nestlé Batido brand and the multinational has launched an extensive communications campaign to mentor people in how to recycle properly with this packaging solution.

Approximately 1,200 tons of plastic could now be recycled thanks to this initiative, an ambitious figure that can only be achieved if everyone disposes of their pots responsibly at the recycling sites set up by TriCiclos, an engineering and consulting company that has provided 39 sites throughout Chile with new special waste disposal containers for Nestlé Batido pots.

Through this project, Emsur, the flexible plastic packaging division of Grupo Lantero, together with Coexpan, the rigid packaging division that makes the PS container, maintain their sustainability commitment in accordance with the circular economy and recyclability milestones.

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The goal is the depolymerisation of cups from the post-consumer sector. Styrene recovered by the recycling process is to be used in the production of polystyrene, which according to Ineos Styrolution will have the same properties as virgin.

The project is to move into commercial status in 2022.

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Yves Legros, general manager of Candia, part of French dairy co-operative SODIAAL said: “Candia has always set itself apart through innovation and now we are taking a major step on our roadmap for sustainable food products. By working with SIG we have succeeded in launching a new organic milk in the first aluminium-free UHT milk carton onto the French market, offering a new solution to consumers who want to cut the use of fossil fuels and buy organic milk in a more sustainable packaging.”

A key innovation for French dairy market

The pack is made of 75% FSC-certified renewable paperboard from sustainably-managed forests. The polymers (protective layers and closure) that make up the rest of the pack are linked to forest-based renewable material through a certified mass balance approach. This gives a 58% lower carbon footprint than a standard SIG carton pack

SIG chose to use a by-product from the paper industry known as tall oil for the plant-based feedstock rather than an agricultural crop to avoid using land and resources that could be used to produce food.

SIGnature Pack 100 will help Candia achieve its goal to minimise fossil resources in the production of packaging, while preserving the safety and nutritional product quality. The packaging’s design protects the milk and maintains the shelf life performance expected in France for UHT milk without the need for an aluminium barrier layer.

Like all SIG packs, SIGnature Pack 100 is recyclable, marking an important step towards SIG’s long-term objective to offer packaging that is 100% renewable and still recyclable.

Melanie Revolte, marketing manager France at SIG said: “We are very proud that Candia has chosen to launch its new organic milk in SIGnature Pack as part of its commitment to more sustainable packaging. This market launch in France will promote the use of renewable materials and reduce the carbon footprint of packaging without compromising functionality or recyclability.”

Martin Herrenbrück, SIG’s president & general manager Europe: “SIGnature Pack 100 offers customers a clear value add by meeting consumer demand for more sustainable packaging. It’s a great example of how we are making big strides towards our ambition to go Way Beyond Good for society and the environment.”

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Since the pilot scheme began in December 2018, over six tonnes of material has been collected so far and scores of local people are bringing in used packaging for recycling.

Isabela De Marchi, SIG’s sustainability co-ordinator in South America, said: “We know it will only be possible to increase packaging recycling rates with the support of consumers. The partnership with SO+MA House is helping us show people the value of recycling on a personal level, as well as bringing wider environmental and socio-economic benefits.”

SO+MA House is the only loyalty programme in Brazil that is available to low income people free of charge. Reward points are earned based on the weight of waste collected. They can be exchanged for food or other essentials, or used to pay for training courses.

This innovative model to promote recycling not only brings environmental benefits, but also socio-economic benefits by offering people in low-income communities an opportunity to improve their quality of life by saving money on essentials or learning skills to open the door to new job opportunities.

Rafael Greca, the Mayor of Curitiba, said: “The idea of rewarding people is very clever. It is an innovative green exchange. We are launching a solution that is adding value for people, offering vocational courses that will help families, young people and the unemployed advance and improve their quality of life. I want to promote the power of recycling among Curitibanos and save our planet.”

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“We want to help people live a more sustainable life as well as feel good about what’s in their fridge. Fresh milk and yogurts are enjoyed on a daily basis in most households in our main markets and are also key to our retail customers. That’s why these items topped our list of packaging to improve from a sustainability perspective and our pan-European presence enables us to leverage our scale and impact several markets simultaneously,” said Arla’s head of Europe, Peter Giørtz-Carlsen (pictured).

It is the first big move in Arla’s new sustainable packaging strategy. It is targeting a carbon reduction of 30% by 2030, initially committing to reduce emissions from its packaging by approximately 8,000 tonnes of carbon every year until then. The ultimate aim is for its entire portfolio to be carbon net zero by 2050, in line with its overall climate ambition to become carbon net zero by 2050, announced last month.

The switch from fossil-based plastic to bio-based plastic derived from sugar cane or forest waste for the 600 million Arla milk cartons makes them 100% renewable. They also contribute 25% less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere compared to their fossil-based plastic predecessors.

For the yogurt pots, the move to recyclable plastic means that these can be given a second life if recycling systems in the markets enable this.

“We have a rich back catalogue of moves that have made our packaging better for the environment over the years. But no doubt, this year’s conversion of more than one billion packaging items is one of our biggest ever. Coupled with some other smaller initiatives, it means we will hit our CO2 savings target for packaging for 2019. But we have to deliver every year, so we are already developing plans for next year’s reduction,” Giørtz-Carlsen said.

Past initiatives have included weight reductions, switching to bio-based plastics, incorporating recycled materials and replacing greenhouse gas intensive materials. Since 2005, Arla has reduced the CO2 impact of its packaging by 25%, equating to 123,000 tonnes of CO2 being diverted from the atmosphere.

Examples include:

• Taking 7,500 tonnes of plastic out of milk bottles in the UK and them now containing up to 30% recycled HDPE plastic (bottles out of Aylesbury dairy in the UK contain up to 40%)
• The clear plastic lids on crème fraiche and on-the-go pots now contain 85% recycled PET, lowering climate impact by approximately 70%

Making packaging more sustainable comes with many dilemmas, for example, it has to protect food, while maintaining its quality and freshness to avoid food waste. At the same time, it relies on technological developments, material availability and the systems being in place to enable a more circular flow of plastic in society.

“Over 90% of consumers think packaging should be designed to ease recycling and they want to be able to do so in their local recycling systems. This has been a key driver of these initiatives. Currently around 90% of our packaging is possible to recycle in one of our core markets and we want to make all our packaging possible to recycle and feasible to do so in all our core markets by 2025. We are dependent on the recycling systems in markets being fully developed and when they are, we’re preparing our packaging to be ready,” Giørtz-Carlsen said.

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The partnership will also explore technologies to establish viable models of recycling in different countries. This includes chemical recycling technologies like pyrolysis, which is capable of producing virgin quality plastic. These technologies will help Nestlé to increase the recycled content of its bottled water packaging to 35% and its overall product packaging to 15% by 2025.

Magdi Batato, executive vice president, head of operations, Nestlé, said: “Plastic waste is a challenge that requires an ecosystem of solutions all working simultaneously. This partnership is another specific step to accelerate our efforts in addressing the critical issue of plastic waste. Leveraging on Veolia’s technology and expertise, we will start with pilot projects in multiple countries, with the intention of scaling these up globally.”

Laurent Auguste, senior executive vice-president for development, innovation and markets, Veolia, said: “I am very pleased and welcome the opportunity of this partnership with a global F&B leader like Nestlé, in the quest for a more circular economy of plastics. Our expertise in resource recovery and recycling has positioned us to tackle this issue with global brands and other value-chain actors, across all continents. We believe it is time to move towards more recycling of materials and we are happy to help our clients be ever more inventive so they can keep improving our quality of life, whilst protecting our planet and its resources.”

This partnership with Veolia follows a series of specific initiatives and steps to accelerate action to tackle plastic waste, in line with Nestlé’s commitment to make 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025.

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To achieve packaging recycling targets of 70% by 2030 (Circular Economy package target) and 70% of plastic packaging by 2025 (The UK Plastics Pact target), the partnership will focus on:

• Providing consistent messaging on-pack to reduce confusion amongst consumers in the UK about what can and can’t be recycled
• Improving the quality and quantity of household recycling in the UK
• Improving the quality and quantity of ‘on the go’ recycling in the UK

WRAP will continue its delivery of the successful Recycle Now citizen campaign alongside broader recycling messages, while OPRL will remain responsible for on-pack recycling messages, using Recycle Now iconography under exclusive license.

Peter Maddox, director of WRAP UK, said: “It’s been ten years since WRAP helped launch OPRL, together with the British Retail Consortium and Food & Drink Federation, and I’m delighted to mark this milestone by formalising our strategic partnership.

“Our latest research for Recycle Now shows that more than half (54%) of citizens put at least one item in the general rubbish bin that could have been recycled. Therefore helping citizens to recycle more, and more often, is crucial to achieving the targets we have committed to. It makes absolute sense that we do this in close partnership with OPRL, whose on pack messaging is recognised and understood by more than three in four citizens.”

Jane Bevis, chair of OPRL said: “Our continuing close relationship with WRAP is very important to us as we know consistent, evidenced messaging is essential in securing the trust and action of citizens.  OPRL’s latest research shows that advice on-pack is the single most important source of information for citizens on recycling, but that people also seek information from other trusted sources to support this.”

“Maintaining and developing further the strong links between OPRL’s on-pack messaging, and WRAP’s work through their Recycle Now campaign and local authority communications, remains essential to delivering more and better recycling of packaging.”

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Paul McMahon, business manager machine sales at ULMA Packaging UK, said: “Growing concerns over plastic pollution and the impact of food packaging waste on the environment is helping to increase demand for sustainable packaging. While the current sustainability drive is welcome news for policy makers in the UK tackling the impact of plastics and ways to boost recycling – it will take time for manufacturers to find suitable alternatives.”

Paul, who believes that trials with any new packaging will need to happen to ensure that the quality and protection of food is assured, said: “The good news is that innovative packaging machinery designed to reduce pack size and waste, in addition to being compatible with biodegradable and recyclable materials, is helping to make waste reduction a reality.”

Paul, continued: “Machinery designed to reduce film waste, alongside innovative materials like biopolymers and other solutions such as paper-based wrappers and boxes continue to be introduced to the market and we expect this trend to continue.”

ULMA Packaging UK acknowledges that reducing food packaging waste is a top priority and is currently working closely with several industry partners to run trials using sustainable materials including cardboard, as well as compostable and recyclable films.

Paul, concluded: “We have recently invested in a new demonstration facility in the UK to facilitate packaging trials as it is important for us to help brands achieve their goals. By trialling new packaging machinery with sustainable materials, any concerns over whether an innovative new material will do the job it needs to do is alleviated. It truly is an exciting time to be working in the packaging sector and the amount of bespoke packaging solutions on offer to reduce waste is astounding.”

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Originally set up by British Retail Consortium and Food & Drink Federation members working with WRAP, the label quickly established itself as a recognised marque with consumers, as supermarkets, high street retailers and leading brands applied it to packaging.

Karen Graley, founding director and packaging & reprographics manager at Waitrose, said: “That early, relatively small collaboration of a few dozen retailers and brands was an important step in providing consistent, clear and simple recycling advice to consumers. Ten years and over 300 additional members later, we have gained recognition with 3 in 4 people now acting on our labels, making us the most widely recognised and understood recycling label in the UK.”

Jane Bevis, founding director and chair of OPRL added: “Our recent survey shows more than 4 in 5 people check packaging often or periodically for advice on recycling, even when they’re pretty confident about what to recycle – they expect to see our labels there. Over the last 6 years we’ve consistently scored as the best understood and acted on recycling labelling system. We’re the industry standard. No wonder brands, retailers, packaging designers and manufacturers, supply chain partners and compliance schemes are flocking to join OPRL.”

Speaking about the many developments in services offered and OPRL’s depth of involvement in industry initiatives, Stuart Lendrum, founding director and executive director of OPRL said: “We started with a pretty basic website and a pdf of our Labelling Guidelines back in 2009, supported by WRAP, the BRC and FDF.

“Now we have an increasingly sophisticated online offer, with tools for members such as PREP UK which aids designing for recyclability, to our labelling tool drawing on an extensive artwork library, and our supply chain supporters showcase to help members find wider solutions – from packaging designers and manufacturers to compliance schemes, data services and technical consultancies. On completion of the pilot of our consumer recycling app as part of the #LeedsByExample project we’ll be adding that as a full optional service to members.

“Combined with support from our guarantors ACE UK, CPI, INCPEN, LARAC and RECOUP, these developments have helped us become the industry standard sought out by businesses of all sizes, and from all sectors in the packaging world.”

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The company says it will reduce the amount of plastic used by 300 tonnes every year.

The dairy company has worked with PACCOR for the last 18 months to design, trial and rollout the new compression mould caps.

Following successful trials, the new lighter caps, which weight just 1.3g, will be used on all of Müller’s branded and private label fresh milk products from February 2019.

The new caps are part of Müller’s continuing drive to reduce its plastic use, as the company has already completed various multi-million pound acquisitions throughout the UK, which allows the business to manufacture its own fresh milk bottles in the UK.

Müller’s HDPE fresh milk bottles, used for all branded and private label fresh milk products, are already 100% recyclable and the business is aiming to increase the use of recycled plastic in its bottles to a target of 50% by 2020.

Patrick Müller, CEO of Müller milk & ingredients said: “We’re clear about the need to reduce our use of plastic, and we have removed 10,000 tonnes of plastic from our milk bottles since 2016. This is great progress, but we can, and we will do more.

“Customers and consumers can be assured that Müller is working to lead in this and other important areas. We are convinced that the work we do with our packaging, operational excellence and with dairy farmers who supply us to protect against market volatility, are real points of difference.”

The new caps and bottles form part of Müller’s overall plan to create a profitable, progressive and efficient fresh milk business in Britain, with new capabilities to make the next generation of fresh milk, cream and flavoured milk products.

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