Schoeller Allibert UK almost halfway to achieving plastic packaging circularity

Returnable plastic packaging developer Schoeller Allibert has flown past its sustainability targets as the company revealed almost half the plastic it used last December came from recycled sources.

New data from Schoeller Allibert UK reveals that on average, plastic returnable transit packaging (RTP) produced by the company in 2022 contained at least 26% recycled material. However, this figure climbed steadily throughout the year – reaching almost 48% in December – and now surpasses the company’s target of using at least 35% recycled plastic by 2026.

The increase follows growing uptake of Schoeller Allibert’s buyback scheme, which encourages customers to sell back their used RTP so it can be recycled into new products, as well as the introduction of the UK’s Plastic Packaging Tax in April.

Responding to the news, Jon Walkington, Strategic Sales and Marketing Director at Schoeller Allibert UK, said: “Schoeller Allibert has set itself ambitious goals for the environment, because as a leading supplier of plastic RTP, we know how important it is to reduce our reliance on virgin materials. Increasing recycled plastic use is a key target for Schoeller Allibert in its drive to transition to a completely circular economy.

“With 48% of plastic we used in December coming from recycled sources, we are delighted to say we have surpassed our 2026 target and are almost halfway towards our goal of completely cutting out new plastic by 2050. As our rental business and associated buy-back schemes continue to expand, we look forward to seeing how much more quickly we can attain this important target.”

Schoeller Allibert’s sustainability strategy commits it to increasing recycled material use to 35% by 2026, with the ultimate goal of reaching 100% circularity by 2050.

Despite achieving 29% recycled plastic use in 2021, by January last year just 16% of plastic going into Schoeller Allibert’s RTP came from recycled sources. This setback was due in part to rising demand for recycled polymers across all industries, which contributed to a shortage of raw materials – but Schoeller Allibert’s buyback scheme meant it was able to overcome this barrier, ending 2022 with an average figure for the year of 26.1%.

The company’s use of recycled plastic also increased steadily from May onwards, ending the year at 47.7%.

Since last April, UK businesses that manufacture plastic packaging have had to pay a new tax on any products that do not contain at least 30% recycled plastic.

The tax is designed to incentivise businesses to reduce their reliance on virgin plastics. It charges £200 per metric tonne of plastic packaging that does not meet the 30% quota produced.