Coca Cola European Partners (CCEP) has worked with Viridor and plastics recycling company PET UK on a project to reprocess PET liner waste from the product packaging for its Smartwater bottled water range.
CCEP worked with packaging producer Avery Dennison, Viridor and PET UK for the development of a process that sees the siliconized PET liner recycled for remanufacturing.
Avery Dennison said more than 50 million Smartwater polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles were produced in 2015 which led to the generation of more than 40t of waste and costing around $10,600.
Coca-Cola European Partners corporate responsibility and sustainability director Joe Franses said: “This example shows how we can turn the crisis of resources into a business opportunity through close collaboration across the value chain.
“Businesses which can be truly innovative with the products and services they provide, optimising the resources they use and encouraging consumers to do the same, have the potential to transform our economy.”
As part of the new recycling scheme, PET UK shreds and extrudes the waste PET liner, which then produces a material suitable for making new products such as PET staple fiber, strapping or thermoformable sheets.
Avery Dennison Materials Group Europe sustainability director Xander van der Vlies said: “Since we launched this initiative with PET UK in 2014, we have signed up many wine, spirits, beer, and beverage brands.
“Avery Dennison has set an ambitious sustainability goal for 2025 of eliminating 70% of liner waste from the industry value chain.”
