29 May 2008 First rHDPE milk bottle wins award
Extraordinary Achievement in sustainable packaging The UK project claimed to have developed the world's first recycled HDPE milk bottle has won a prestigious global packaging award. The WorldStar Sustainability Award from the World Packaging Organisation was presented in recognition of "extraordinary achievements in sustainable packaging". The project developed a cost-effective process for production of food-contact approved HDPE from post-consumer recycled plastic. As a result, all Marks & Spencer organic milk is now packaged in plastic bottles with a 10% recycled content. Participants in the project in addition to M&S were milk supplier Dairy Crest, recycling specialist Nextek, blow moulder Nampak and the government-funded Waste & Resources Action Programme (Wrap). Wrap's plastics technology manager, Dr Paul Davidson, said: "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." Senior packaging technologist at Marks & Spencer, Dr Mark Caul, said the company hoped to expand the use of recycled polymer across all its milk bottle range, "which we will do when material becomes available". Nampak business development director, James Crick, acknowledged the award as a "fantastic accolade". He said the rHDPE bottle met the environmental challenge of the modern marketplace by optimising packaging without compromising the consumers' needs. The WorldStar Sustainability Award was announced at a ceremony in Ghana, in West Africa, on 21 May. It is the latest in a string of accolades for the milk bottle project, including a WorldStar Award in the beverage category, gold and bronze at the Starpak packaging awards and best project related to waste and recycling in the Edie Environmental awards. Article by Tim Tunbridge, www.prw.com - Plastic Industry News For the full news article and to be taken to the website, click here | 
