PET recycling initiative

Avery Dennison has collaborated with Viridor and PET UK to help Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) reduce waste, costs and the carbon footprint of Smartwater production in the UK.

More than 50 million bottles of Smartwater were produced in 2015. The PET liners used (carrying the self adhesive labels before dispensing) generated more than 40 tonnes of waste in that year, costing around £8,500 in disposal/handling costs. Under the new recycling scheme, PET UK shreds and extrudes the waste PET liner and then produces a material suitable for making new items such as PET staple fibre, strapping or thermoformable sheets.

There will also be significant savings in CO2 emissions – around 180 to 200 tonnes in 2016.

According to Joe Franses, director of corporate responsibility and sustainability at CCEP, says, “This example shows how we can turn the crisis of resources into a business opportunity through close collaboration across the value chain.”