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Putting Plastic Back into the Production Cycle

It’s vital that we work together to find solutions to protect our environment, combat climate change, and support a circular economy where we re-use, re-manufacture, repair and recycle plastic as much as possible.

Our free polythene recovery service is one way that we are helping organisations to do just that. It keeps valuable resources within the circular economy by returning clean polythene packaging to the production cycle. Used polythene is collected from our customers on a back-load basis, for recycling, at no additional cost to them. This means that no additional vehicle journeys are incurred, as we collect this material when we deliver our recycling products.

This service saves virgin materials in line with the principles of the circular economy and reducing landfill. It also supports the aims of the UK Plastics Pact, a collaborative initiative to keep plastic in the economy and out of the natural environment.

Benefits for customers include free collection of recyclable plastic packaging; reduction of waste disposal costs and regular reporting of packaging returns.

An example of how this service has helped organisations achieve their environmental goals is our work with Yorkshire based company, JPT – Just Paper Tubes Limited which is a leading cardboard tubes and cores and paper tube manufacturer. Care for the environment is at the heart of their business, including using 100% recycled paper and cardboard and solar generation to run their production. Their environmental management systems follow the standards and guidelines of ISO 14001.

The company did not want their waste to be exported, where it may not be handled and treated correctly, rather than it being re-used in the UK. We worked closely with them to explain what they can do as a business to stop this from happening. As a result, they now collect all polythene wrapping, removing all labels and tape and use our polythene recovery service so that the materials can be reprocessed in the UK. We work with other companies in a similar way to help them clean and tidy their bales, so that clean polythene can be returned for recycling. If they do not have balers, we provide large reusable bags on an exchange basis, to contain the polythene prior to collection.

The concept of the current Producer Responsibility (Packaging Waste) Obligations is about encouraging (obligating) businesses that manufacture, import and sell products, to take responsibility for the environmental management of the goods, once they are no longer in use by the consumer. Accountability is placed on the company to recover and recycle their share of the packaging they put on the market. The obligation is currently calculated based on the amount of packaging placed on the market and the company’s role in the supply chain (what they do with the packaging) either as producer, convertor, importer, packer/filler, or reseller. Recycling obligations are usually discharged through a compliance scheme which, for a fee, provides the evidence that recycling has taken place, in the form of Producer Responsibility Notes (PRN’s).

The Government has outlined plans to introduce an extended producer responsibility system for packaging in 2023 and, following an initial consultation which closed in May this year, expect to consult on the final proposals next year. The reforms aim to place the full cost of collection, treatment, and disposal of packaging waste on to the producer, potentially including clean-up costs. This legislation is designed to drive a reduction in the use of packaging, increase in the recycled content, increase in recyclability and recycling, and reduction of littering. Costs are expected to be significantly higher than the current system.

Our polythene recovery service is one way we are helping companies be ahead of the game, act responsibly, and ensure that materials are collected for recycling and re-use, keeping materials in the production cycle for as long as possible.

If you would like to find out more about our polythene recovery service, or would like details about any of our extensive plastic product range, please get in touch with our friendly team by calling 01977 686 868 or email info@cromwellpolythene.co.uk.