UK - The world’s first recycled HDPE (rHDPE) milk bottle has won the coveted WorldStar Sustainability Award in recognition of ‘extraordinary achievements in sustainable packaging’.  Presented by the World Packaging Organisation at a ceremony in Ghana on 21st May, the award is the latest in a string of awards for the revolutionary bottle. 

The aim of the project, which was developed through collaboration between Dairy Crest, Marks & Spencer, Nampak, Nextek and WRAP, was to develop a cost-effective process to produce food-contact approved HDPE from post-consumer recycled plastic. As a result, world-class manufacturing and recycling processes have been established and all Marks and Spencer organic milk is now packaged in plastic bottles with 10% recycled content.

The project is one of only two in the world to win the WorldStar Sustainability Award, which is the latest in a series of awards recognising the innovation and environmental attributes of the rHDPE milk bottle. It previously won a Worldstar Award in the beverage category, the gold and bronze awards at the prestigious Starpak UK packaging awards (the gold being a prerequisite for the Worldstar awards submission), as well as Best Project related to Waste and Recycling in the Edie Environmental awards. It also scooped the honours at the Plastics Industry and IGD awards.

James Crick, Business Development Director at Nampak comments: “Winning the WorldStar Sustainability Award is a fantastic accolade for this project.  The challenge for all those involved in packaging is to develop products that meet the environmental demands of the modern marketplace, while still remaining fit for purpose. The recycled content HDPE bottle is the ideal solution; optimising packaging without compromising the consumers’ needs.”

According to James Tunney Senior National Account Manager at Dairy Crest “Being able to deliver such an important advancement in packaging for the UK is completely in line with Dairy Crest's forward thinking strategy and we are delighted to have had all the team's hard work recognised by the Worldstar awards.

“Our consumer's are at the heart of Dairy Crest's business and they are telling us they want us to help them find environmentally beneficial solutions that are easily adoptable into everyday household use. This project is a prime example of an industry working together to achieve that”

Dr Mark Caul, Senior Packaging Technologist at Marks & Spencer added, “M&S are delighted to have been involved in this important and innovative work.  The use of a food grade post consumer waste recycled content material is an example of technical innovation, but more importantly it is an example of where working in partnership we can create end markets for recycled materials, thereby driving increased recycling in the UK.  We look forward to being able to expanding the use of recycled material across all our milk bottles, which we will do when material becomes available.

To be recognised for the work by winning a sustainability award is a fantastic achievement which we are proud to be part of.

About WRAP

WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) is a UK based organisation that helps individuals, businesses and local authorities to reduce waste and recycle more, making better use of resources and helping to tackle climate change

Established as a not-for-profit company in 2000, WRAP is backed by government funding from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Working in seven key areas (Construction, Retail, Manufacturing, Organics, Business Growth, Behavioural Change, and Local Authority Support), WRAP’s work focuses on market development and support to drive forward recycling and materials resource efficiency within these sectors, as well as wider communications and awareness activities including the multi-media national Recycle Now campaign for England.

Marcus Gover, Director Market Development comments, “WRAP is absolutely delighted that this project has received international recognition through WorldStar. This award is a testament to the skills and dedication of the teams who've developed a sustainable and viable process to close the loop and recycle post-consumer plastic back into food packaging.  This has been an important step towards helping people to recycle more things more easily more often”

About Nampak

Nampak Plastics Europe is one of Europe’s largest manufacturer’s of rigid plastic containers to the Food and Drink industry

Nampak had a £100 million turnover and supplied over 2 billion containers during the financial year 2005/2006

The company currently operates from seven sites across the UK including five in-plant (‘through the wall’) operations which are situated on customer sites.

About Dairy Crest PLC

Dairy Crest is the UK’s premier chilled dairy food company with leading brands including Cathedral City, Clover, Country Life, Utterly Butterly, FRijj, Petit Filous, St Hubert and a doorstep delivery service with 1.6m customers