Walkers has announced the roll out of the UK’s first nationwide recycling scheme for crisp packets.
Consumers will be encouraged to either drop off their packets at hundreds of public access collection points across the country or alternatively post them for free in a box or envelope directly to recycling company TerraCycle.
Once the packets have been collected they will be cleaned, shredded and turned into small plastic pellets which will then be converted into useful items such as benches and fence posts.
The Walkers scheme, developed in partnership with TerraCycle, will run from now until December this year and all crisps pakets will be accepted. The PepsiCo brand is aiming to make all of its packaging 100% recyclable, compostable or biodegradable by 2025.
Commenting on the scheme, Ian Ellington, general manager at PepsiCo UK, said: “We share people’s concerns about the amount of plastic in our environment and are working on a number of both short and long-term solutions to reduce the impact of our packaging. Our new Walkers recycling initiative starts to tackle this issue right now by repurposing used crisp packets to create everyday items such as plant pots and benches. We hope people will embrace this idea and join us in ensuring crisp packets are recycled.”
“We’re determined to crack this in the long term and have a number of initiatives underway to create the right materials and environment for the crisp packets of the future.”
Laure Cucuron, general manager at TerraCycle Europe, added: “We’re delighted to be working with Walkers to launch the UK’s first nationwide recycling scheme for crisp packets. We hope other snacks manufacturers will follow suit, by investing in new ways to reduce the amount of packaging that goes to landfill and incineration.”
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