The company would like to hear from any councils planning to introduce mixed plastics collections – chiefly pots, tubs and trays. Support would be provided for operational or communications activities, and would be issued during the current financial year.

The initiative is part of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan which was launched last year. Under the plan, the company is committed to working with others such as “industry, governments and NGOs” to achieve its targets, including halving the waste associated with its products by 2020.

The plan states: “Working in partnership we aim to increase recycling and recovery rates on average by 5% by 2015, and by 15% by 2020 in our top 14 countries. For some this means doubling or even tripling existing recycling rates.”

It goes on to say that, “by 2020 we will increase the recycled material content in our packaging to maximum possible levels. This will act as a catalyst to increase recycling rates”.

Unilever is one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies and owner of brands including Flora, Wall’s Ice-Cream, Knorr, Hellmann’s, Dove, Vaseline, Persil, Comfort and Cif.

The Waste Resources & Action Programme (WRAP) is overseeing the project and expressions of interest should be sent to Sue.Reed@wrap.org.uk by Friday 26th August.

Maxine Perella

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