UK supermarket chain Tesco is set to trial a new plastic packaging recycling technology at ten of its stores in Swindon and Bristol areas in the UK.
Image: Tesco to trial recycling technology for plastic packaging. Photo: courtesy of Tescoplc.com.
As part of a trial with the recycling specialist Recycling Technologies, Tesco will begin collecting previously unrecyclable plastics to be recycled at these stores.
The plastics trial is said to start with the installation of ten collection booths at Tesco stores, including Bristol Lime Trees Road Superstore, Yate Extra, Bristol Brislington Extra, Bristol Staple Hill Metro, Keynsham Superstore, Bristol East Extra, Cirencester Metro – Farrell Close, Cirencester Extra, Swindon Extra and Tetbury Superstore.
Recycling Technologies chief executive Adrian Griffiths said: “Using our specialist feedstock recycling process we keep more plastic waste in the economy and out of landfill and our oceans.”
Customers can return various products ranging from pet food pouches to shopping bags and crisp packets, which cannot commonly be recycled by local councils.
The new recycling process, developed by Recycling Technologies, will be used to recycle the collected unrecyclable packaging.
Recycling Technologies has developed and patented a process to convert waste plastic back into oil, Plaxx, which can be used to produce new plastic.
The initiative is part of Tesco’s efforts to make all its packaging recyclable, enabling to create a closed loop and prevent packaging from going to waste.
Last week, Tesco also launched a trial to remove plastic packaging from 45 different types of fruit and vegetables from its two stores in Swindon and Watford in a one-month trial period.
Tesco quality director Sarah Bradbury said: “Reducing and recycling plastics is such an important issue for us, for customers and for the future of our planet. That’s why we are working hard to reduce the amount of packaging in our stores and have committed that all remaining packaging will be recyclable by 2025.
“Our trial with Recycling Technologies will make even more of our packaging recyclable and help us reach our target. This technology could be the final piece of the jigsaw for the UK plastic recycling industry.”