UK – Global resource management company Veolia is partnering with UK convenience retailer One Stop to roll out an initiative to recycle over 380,000 plastic milk bottles.
Under the partnership, Veolia, on a weekly basis, is set to collect One Stop’s Own Label milk bottles from in-store vending machines and staff refreshments from the retailer’s distribution centers.
Simon Futcher, Commercial Business Development director at Veolia: “Veolia is delighted to work 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 simultaneously.”
At the facility, the milk bottles undergo a comprehensive recycling process. They are thoroughly washed, shredded, and transformed into pellets, which are then repurposed to create new milk bottles.
This closed-loop system demonstrates the commitment of both organizations to reducing plastic waste and promoting circular economy principles.
As part of its sustainability drive, One Stop has also made additional strides, replacing the traditional green hard-to-recycle bottle tops on their British semi-skimmed standard milk with clear recyclable lids.
This forward-looking approach reflects One Stop’s dedication to making meaningful contributions to environmental conservation.
“We’re so pleased to be working with Veolia on this new initiative,” added Amriene Kalsi, sustainability manager at One Stop. “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.”
One Stop recently announced that it would replace the hard-to-recycle green bottle caps on its British semi-skimmed standard milk with clear recyclable lids – joining Waitrose, Aldi, Co-op, and Asda in removing colored milk bottles from their product lines.
Meanwhile, in April last year, Veolia partnered with UK-based luxury department store Harrods to recycle its low-density polyethylene plastic shopping bags into ‘plastic lumber.
Veolia successfully transformed the bags into new picnic benches, which have been installed at Harrods’ distribution center in Thatcham, Berkshire, to provide additional seating for company employees.
The company said that the recycling process of LDPE plastic bags first involved the transformation of bags into plastic pellets, which were then reprocessed into ‘plastic lumber’. The lumber is apt for making garden furniture.
For all the latest packaging and printing industry news from Africa and the World, subscribe to our NEWSLETTER, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, like us on Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
