Dairy brand The Collective, has partnered with its suppliers to create recyclable black plastic packaging to its Gourmet line of yogurts.
Considered to be the “first-to-market” technology, the company's yogurt tubs will incorporate a special pigment that makes them detectable across UK recycling plants, so consumers will recognise to recycle the black lids within normal plastic recycling.
The Collective worked with industry experts to build its knowledge of the UK recycling infrastructure and find a way to enable black plastic to be recycled.
Amelia Harvey, co-founder at The Collective, explained: “Infrared sensors in recycling plants don’t normally pick up black plastic on conveyor belts. This means our lids are not usually detected, classed as residual waste and incinerated.
“Now the lids are being made with a new green pigment that can be picked up by plant sensors and will be recycled alongside The Collective’s polypropylene pots.”
Bernard Chase, of Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), commnented: “WRAP is delighted to have worked with The Collective, helping them to implement their first-to-market black pigment technology, leading the way in the grocery sector.
“In order to help meet the challenging targets set down in the UK Plastics Pact, WRAP hopes that other businesses in the sector may soon follow the lead set by The Collective in adopting this forward-thinking technology.”
The new lids will feature on The Collective’s 450g and 900g yogurt tubs by October 2018.