Dairy Industry Leads in Sustainable Plastic Recycling Efforts

The UK Plastic Pact, as discussed by Paddy Duggan from NGO Wrap, underscores the dairy industry's pivotal role in advancing sustainable packaging solutions. This initiative, presented at the Dairy Industries Expo at NAEC Stoneleigh, focuses on making all plastic packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable with a target of achieving 30% average recycled content and recovering 70% of plastic from the market by the end of 2025.

The dairy sector has made significant strides in packaging sustainability, particularly with milk bottles and cheese. Milk bottles, for example, have been collected by local authorities for recycling since the late 1990s, making them a model for other sectors such as bottled water. Current dairy packaging often contains 30-40% recycled content, a figure that exceeds many other industries.

Cheese packaging has seen a shift towards single-material solutions, improving recyclability. Similarly, yogurt pots have transitioned from polystyrene to more recyclable materials like PP or PET. This transition is part of a broader effort to eliminate problematic materials, such as PVdC, from the waste stream.

Northern Ireland's initiative, represented by 'Yogi the yogurt pot,' exemplifies the move towards mono-materials. Additionally, the sector is focusing on improving packaging for other products, such as milk and yogurt sticks, to enhance recyclability.

Future plans include examining bottle labels and ensuring compliance with EU formats in parts of the UK. The initiative also praises Wales for its recycling efforts, noting its status as the second-best recycler globally, with a significant reduction in landfill contributions.