The UK company which manufactures plastic ring carriers for the beverage industry made the announcement as part of plans to deliver a 100% recyclable, biodegradable or compostable alternative by 2025.
Material development
“Hi-Cone is reimagining packaging for the beverage industry for a more sustainable future and RingCycles is providing a better packaging now,” said Shawn Welch, GM/VP, Hi-Cone Worldwide.
“This launch represents a significant milestone in our sustainability journey, technology innovation and material development.”
PCR production uses: 90% less non-renewable energy, 83% less water consumption, emits 75% less greenhouse gases, and creates 43% less solid waste when compared to virgin material production.
Welch added Hi-Cone is making significant investments in resources and material research to continue to develop the most sustainable and commercially viable packaging available on the market.
BeverageDaily reported that Hi-Cone was the first non-branded company to join TerraCycle’s recycling scheme, this year.
As a result it will educate and encourage consumers to recycle ring carriers via a collection point or online to recover and reuse as many plastic ring carriers as possible.
“As TerraCycle runs collection programmes for a range of packaging including cracker and biscuit wrappers, crisp packets, baby food pouches, bread packaging, and Pringles cans, and works with over 100 brands in 21 countries to collect used packaging and products that would otherwise be destined for landfills, Hi-Cone is delighted to become the first non-branded company worldwide to partner with TerraCycle,” said Kenneth Escoe, president, Hi-Cone, at the time.
4-packs for beer
Hi-Cone ring carriers were introduced in 1961 to reduce beverage packaging on items such as 4-packs for beer compared with alternative materials such as paperboard.
According to the British Plastics Federation (BPF), 99% of local authorities in the UK collect plastic bottles at the kerbside, and 76% collect pots, tubs and trays, other items such as ring carriers are collected and recycled by very few local authorities.
As a result, Hi-Cone and TerraCycle have decided to spearhead the effort to tailor recycling techniques to individual waste streams where specialist beverage packaging is concerned, ensuring ring carriers can be collected and recycled, allowing them to have a new life post-use.
“It is vital packaging producers take the lead in pushing sustainable programmes forward, and that is why we have stepped in at this stage of our own journey to champion this process with TerraCycle,” said Escoe.