Ecover announces world-first in plastic packaging
Tom Doman, Innovations Manager at Ecover on a bale of plastic waste
Ecological company, Ecover, has unveiled plans to launch an entirely new form of fully sustainable and recyclable plastic incorporating post-consumer recyclables (PCR).
‘Plantastic’ is plastic made from 100% sugarcane and plastic fished from the sea and the company plans for it to be available from 2014.
Working closely with Waste Free Oceans (WFO) and UK plastic recycling plant Closed Loop, Ecover will be working with fishing communities to collect plastic and reintroduce it into the recycling chain via its bottles – a solution which will help protect the delicate sea-based eco-systems.
Sea waste collection will be undertaken by existing fishing trawls with Waste Free Oceans engaging Europe’s fishing community in cleaning up floating marine debris then bringing it back to land for recycling and sorting. Boats outfitted with a special trawl will be able to collect between 2-8 tonnes of waste per trawl for cleaning and recycling, with the collected waste sent to Closed Loop Recycling’s plant in Dagenham where it will be processed and turned into plastic and used to make Ecover’s new bottles.
Trials have already begun on the exact mix of the three plastics which allow the brand to deliver what will be the first ever fully sustainable and recyclable plastic.
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