Project launched to close the recycling loop

A recycling project worth half a million is set to change the way food and beverage packaging waste is dealt with in the UK, according to development programme London Remade.


The initiative, funded by landfill tax credits from Shanks First, will work with iconic organisations, including two of London’s largest museums and a major name in the transport sector, to raise national awareness of “closed loop” recycling.

Intended to get more people involved in “closing the recycling loop” by buying products with recycled content as well as recycling their household waste, the project is hoped to deliver real changes to packaging procurement and waste management practices.

Closed Loop project manager Debbie Morris said that this concept of creating an economic “pull factor”, dragging materials out of the waste stream and remanufacturing them at competitive prices, would become more common in the future.

“We believe that the project will raise awareness of the close loop concept, but more specifically it will enable us to help participating organisations to manage their resources more effectively,” she said.

“Our brokers will assist with the purchase of recycled content and recyclable food and beverage packaging products and facilitate their collection for recycling at the end of their useful life, supplying them for remanufacture into new products.”

The project will operate over two years as a research initiative with toolkits, reports and case studies on its progress being published throughout the process.

A representative from Shanks First said the initiative would push the boundaries of recycling development.

“Drawing on expertise already utilised to good effect in Australia, this is a challenging project but one which will provide real recycling improvements, both during its life and after its completion.”

By Jane Kettle

Action inspires action. Stay ahead of the curve with sustainability and energy newsletters from edie

Subscribe