Walkers to recycle crisp packets after protests
MILLIONS of crisp packets are to be recycled after the makers of Walkers crisps bowed to public pressure over concerns about waste and pollution.
PepsiCo is setting up a scheme to take back crisp packets, which would otherwise end up being buried in landfill or burned for energy, so they can be recycled.
Currently, crisp packets cannot be collected and recycled as part of normal household waste because they are made with a complex metallised film. As a result, huge numbers end up as litter – blighting streets, parks, beauty spots and beaches for decades.
the move follows a campaign that saw thousands of crisp packets sent back to Walkers using its own freepost address.
Due to be launched in December, the scheme will allow customers to take back any brand of crisp packet to one of hundreds of collection points and they will then be sent to a specialist recycling facility. Alternatively they will be able to post them for free to the company’s recycling partner terraCycle.
there they will be shredded and turned into plastic pellets and subsequently made into useful items, such as benches, plant pots and fence posts.
Campaigners have welcomed the initiative, but point out that the problem with plastic crisp packets will only be solved once the food industry develops new packaging that can be recycled along with normal household waste, rather than having to be shipped hundreds of miles to specialist facilities.
the brand produces an astonishing 11million of the packets a day – 7,000 every minute – at its Leicester factory.
More than 300,000 people have signed a petition, set up by the campaigning group 38 Degrees, urging Walkers to ditch their nonrecyclable packaging and find an environmentally-friendly alternative.
the man who started the petition, Geraint Ashcroft from Cardiff, said: ‘today’s announcement is really exciting and I hope other snack companies get on board. this is a great first step and makes all the work that’s gone into the petition worthwhile. But Walkers still have a lot to do to meet their pledge of making their packaging fully recyclable, compostable or biodegradable.’
Ian ellington, of Pepsi Co uK, said: ‘We share 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 re-purposing used crisp packets to create everyday items such as plant pots and benches.’