Waitrose cuts plastic waste by 1,300 tons

WAITROSE has hit a target to remove black plastic packs from all fresh meat, poultry, fish, fruit and veg as stores race to cut down on pollution and waste.

The move means last year it did away with 1,300 tons of black plastic packaging, which is hard to recycle and often ends up in landfill or is burned for energy, .

The retailer is now working on efforts to remove the rest of the black plastic from its own label lines by the end of this year.

The move is part of a wider effort by retailers to cut down on the use of plastic.

The measures are a demonstration of the impact of the Daily Mail’s campaign to highlight the dangers of the plastic blight. When the Mail launched its Banish the Bags campaign in February 2008, supermarkets fought to block it.

Similarly, manufacturers and retailers opposed our Take Back Your Bottles campaign, which advocated a bottle deposit and return scheme.

The impact of Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II series, showing the appalling harm caused by plastic pollution to sea-life, has also had a profound effect in changing public attitudes, along with various campaigning groups.

The problem with black plastic trays is that they cannot be picked out by the laser sorting machinery on conveyor belts in council waste and recycling centres. This means they are considered general waste.

Waitrose spokesman Tor Harris said: ‘Eliminating black plastic is a priority for us. While removing it, we have also taken the opportunity to reduce the amount of plastic of any colour by removing trays from fruit and veg.

‘We’re now looking at ready meals and other products.’

The chain is replacing loose fruit and veg bags with home compostable alternatives and will remove 5p single-use carrier bags by March.

It has stopped using throwaway cups, lined with plastic, for takeaway hot drinks.