IT’S CRUNCH TIME FOR CRISPS, SAYS GRANDAD
AGRANDFATHER from Pontypridd was so angry that crisp packets can’t be recycled that he launched a crusade which took him to the London offices of one of the world’s biggest manufacturers.
Geraint Ashcroft, 60, from Cilfynydd, ended up in the city, meeting executives from PepsiCo, which owns crisps firm Walkers, about its packaging.
There the executives tried to persuade him how committed they were to improving their product – although he remains unconvinced.
Despite consumers buying around 3.7 million tonnes of plastic packaging, only around 842,000 tonnes gets recycled, with most of the plastic we use ending up in landfill.
While some local authorities recycle item such as water bottles and cling film, things like crisp packets are currently not recyclable.
The issue is that, although they look like foil, which can be recycled, they’re actually made from a metallised plastic that cannot be recycled.
Mr Ashcroft wanted to see an end to that.
“It was last October and I finished work four years ago with ill health,” Geraint said.
“I was doing recycling in the house and there was something I wasn’t sure could be recycled, so I looked on the RCT council website and saw crisp packets couldn’t.
“I looked on the packet and there was nothing on Walkers about whether it could be recycled or not.
“I looked a bit more into it and was amazed to find the number of crisp packets that are produced, so I started the petition.
“For the first months it was slow, with only 5,000 signatures.
“Then there was an article about a packet on a beach in Cornwall and that got a lot of publicity. 38 Degrees picked up on the petition and helped me promote it and it took off.
“A lot of people thought you could recycle them but a few wise ones know. Most people didn’t realise and thought they’re plastic so you can recycle it.
“There are ordinary people out there who are not buying crisp packets for that reason. I enjoy crisps as much as anybody, but it’s one of those thing we hope to make progress on.”
Now the petition has more than 308,000 signatures – and prompted a special meeting with PepsiCo, which owns Walkers.
“If someone had told me this at the beginning, I would have never believed them,” he said. “It shows me people care. “These are not people who are campaigners. These are ordinary people.
“I contacted PepsiCo a few times but they ignored it. A couple of weeks ago they said they wanted a meeting. We met in their Soho office in London near Oxford Circus.
“There were two executives. One was Duncan Gordon, a senior director of corporate affairs. “I did push for a couple of things. “The first was to move their 2025 target to achieve 100% recyclable, compostable or biodegradable packaging forward.
“In 2006, they made biodegradable packaging in America but it was too noisy.
“In 2010, Richard Evans, president of PepsiCo, said they were going to make packets out of potato starch within 18 months.
“But it all disappeared with no explanation.
“If you can’t do it in the last 12 years, who should believe you?
“They are willing to try in other countries. What’s wrong with trying to show people in this country you’re willing to try? “Then there’s the financial side. “It’s got to be biodegradable packaging because crisp packets are snacks and beaches.
“People leave lots on the beach and put some in the bin, but they get blown out and end up in the sea.
“If there’s recycled plastic in the sea, it won’t break down, so it’s got to be biodegradable.”
Despite the meeting, Geraint isn’t eaten on places like hopeful for change any time soon. “They weren’t really moving their position. I was a bit disappointed with PepsiCo but I wasn’t surprised,” he said. “You concentrate on Walkers because they’re the biggest brand but there are other companies which need to get involved in this.
“We’ve got to just keep it going.”