Circular Economy: Yogurt Containers Turned Shelving Units

An ambitious circular economy initiative is transforming 6.4 million yogurt and dessert containers into functional furniture, showcasing the potential of the dairy industry to lead in sustainability and waste reduction.

A novel circular economy project in Chile is redefining the future of plastic waste in the food sector. A strategic alliance has managed to turn 6.4 million yogurt and dessert containers into 20,000 modular shelves, a milestone that demonstrates the viability of the recycling value chain. This initiative, part of the "Recircula: unidos por el reciclaje" program, exemplifies how the dairy industry can take the lead in combating pollution.

The project is a collaboration of four key players: dairy company Soprole, Walmart Chile retailers, manufacturer Wenco, and consultancy Thinking. The primary goal is to address the challenge of recycling polystyrene (PS6), a type of plastic traditionally considered hard to process. Through this program, the containers are collected and revalued, transforming what was once waste into a high-value input, creating a new productive chain that benefits all involved.

This initiative is both environmentally and socially successful. Environmentally, it has revalued 32 tons of post-consumer plastic, with an ambitious goal of reaching 1,000 tons by 2027, equivalent to 200 million containers. Socially, it creates a useful and accessible product for consumers, available in Chilean supermarkets, completing the circular economy cycle and proving that sustainability can be profitable.