• Bookstore

Amazingly, all the plastic bottles we put in our recycling bins are not recycled in the UK, they are sent abroad, never to return as plastic bottles.  The new plant will convert 35,000 tonnes of plastic a year into new food packaging.  The plant will be the first of several such facilities constructed by Closed Loop Recycling over the next five years.

Closed Loop Recycling's Managing Director Chris Dow said:
"Interest from manufacturers and retailers to use British post consumer plastic in their products has been overwhelming. There is an increased awareness that if we are to create a closed loop plastic waste economy we should use recycled plastic that has been created from the UK waste stream.

"We are totally focused on creating centres of excellence for recycling here in London and at all future facilities."

The plant is just one of six plants around the world that uses the technology created by the South Carolina-based United Resource Recovery Corporation.  The other plants are in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, the USA and Mexico.

Closed Loop has developed long term relationships with Veolia Environmental Services for the supply of plastic waste and Nampak Plastics, the UK's largest producer of HDPE milk bottles, to use recycled food-grade HDPE produced by Closed Loop.

The project has been supported by numerous partners including Marks and Spencer, Coca-cola, WRAP and the Mayor of London.

Marks & Spencer Collaboration
In April, Closed Loop Recycling and Marks & Spencer announced the launched an office recycling and collection service as part of the Food to Go re-launch of sandwiches, salads and deli snacks. All the new packaging from the range will feature the Closed Loop Recycling logo and details on how consumers can sign their office up to the scheme.

The new service addresses the issue of disposing of lunchtime packaging waste at work and provides an easy solution for offices across the UK to establish their own recycling scheme. M&S sell more sandwiches and lunchtime snacks than anyone else on the high street, and aims to make 90% of all Food to Go packaging recyclable.

Helene Roberts, M&S Head of Food Packaging said:
"As part of our Plan A 'eco-plan', we are committed to making it easier for our customers to choose greener options. We are all getting better at recycling from home, and this scheme now gives consumers an easy solution for getting rid of their food packaging at work."

Marks & Spencer pioneered the scheme with Closed Loop Recycling at its Head Office, which has proved so successful the retailer has decided to facilitate a collection scheme for other companies. Offices can sign up to join the scheme via the website (www.recycle-PlanA.com) detailed on all Food to Go packaging, they will then be issued with recycle bins branded with the Closed Loop and M&S logos that will be emptied on a weekly basis.

The office recycling scheme is a very affordable option for offices who want an easy way to improve their recycling facilities. The average cost for a 20 person office that would generate approximately five bags of waste per week, would be around £5 per week. It will initially be available in four major cities and their surrounding areas, with the aim of taking the scheme nationwide over the next two years.