Biffa has announced the extension of its long-term partnership with Nampak Plastics Europe, a leading packaging manufacturer.
Through the agreement, Biffa will supply food-grade recycled plastic (High-Density Polyethene or HDPE) to Nampak for use in manufacturing plastic bottles.
The partnership will ensure that dairy bottles produced by Nampak can contain up to 40% recycled plastic, all supplied by Biffa.
Biffa has pioneered the development of closed-loop plastic recycling in the UK in recent years, turning waste plastic into food-grade materials that are a sustainable substitute for virgin plastic.
The Group first partnered with Nampak in 2008 through the UK’s Dairy Roadmap, a scheme designed to unite the dairy industry’s partners to produce fully recyclable plastic milk bottles.
Biffa is playing a critical role in pioneering closed-loop plastic recycling in the UK and we are delighted to be working with Nampak to support the development of sustainable packaging solutions.
Biffa has reprocessed over three billion HPDE milk bottles over the last decade and 85% of milk bottles in the UK now contain Biffa material.
Under the extended partnership, recycled HDPE material will be provided to Nampak in the form of pellets and will be sourced from Biffa’s Redcar facility, which was the world’s first commercial recycled food-grade HDPE production plant opened by Biffa in 2008.
Biffa has committed to quadrupling its plastics recycling capacity by 2030 and recently announced the opening of the first phase of a new £27.5m state of the art rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) recycling facility in Seaham, capable of processing the equivalent of £1.3bn plastic bottles each year.
The Group has also confirmed a further £7m investment in nearby Washington in a plant to process plastic pots, tubs and trays.
Chris Hanlon, Commercial Manager at Biffa Polymers, said: “We’re pleased to be extending our successful long-term relationship with Nampak Plastics Europe.
“Biffa is playing a critical role in pioneering closed-loop plastic recycling in the UK and we are delighted to be working with Nampak to support the development of sustainable packaging solutions.”
Chris Phelan, CEO at Nampak Plastics Europe, added: “We’re delighted to extend our long-standing partnership with companies like Biffa, as recycled material will play an ever-important role in the years to come in helping us provide better and more sustainable plastic bottles.”