Waste, packaging and recycling
Using Recycled Materials
All our glass and aluminium packaging already contains a high proportion of recycled materials. Our glass bottles contain an average of 30% recycled glass and our aluminium cans contain around 50% recycled aluminium. As well as reducing the amount of raw materials we use, this also saves considerable energy. Recycling aluminium, for example, saves up to 95% of the energy required to manufacture aluminium from its raw form.
In Great Britain we continue to pay particular attention to our use of plastic. We use large amounts of PET and we know that plastic can take a long time to decompose if simply thrown away.
Recycled PET
In 2006, we explored the possibility of including up to 25% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) in our 500ml bottles (among its many environmental advantages, rPET requires fewer raw materials and helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill). In a trial conducted jointly with WRAP, we placed 75 million 500ml bottles containing 25% rPET into the market using a total of 500 tonnes of rPET.
While the trial was a success, the mainstream use of rPET depends on a ready local supply at commercially viable rates. During 2007 and 2008, well be working with our PET suppliers to secure recycled PET for use in Great Britain. The continued growth in plastic bottle recycling is encouraging, as is the growing number of local authorities that offer kerbside collection of PET. This will help to ensure a supply of PET for recycling and so stimulate the production of PET.
