TESCO DITCHES PLASTIC LAUNDRY POD TUBS IN FAVOUR OF RECYCLABLE CARDBOARD PACKS

Tesco has revealed plans to replace the plastic tubs its laundry detergent pods are sold in with new recyclable cardboard packaging.

The move into card will save 252 tonnes of plastic annually, and over four million pieces of plastic across eight lines. The box contains more than 90% recycled cardboard, and is FSC certified, with a thin plastic liner inside to protect the pods. When empty, the cardboard box can be put in the normal household recycle bin.

Over 24 million people in the UK regularly buy laundry products, with more than 38% already opting for pods – compared to 28% choosing powder detergent and 34% preferring liquid or gel.

Tesco is also launching bigger packs of pods for families that offer even better value. The range will consist of three products, bio, non- bio and scented, priced at £5.50 for 40 washes.

Tesco Group Quality Director Sarah Bradbury said:“Customers are focused on getting great value right now, but we know that they still want to choose products that use less or no plastic in their packaging. This is one of many changes we’re making to reduce unnecessary plastic from products right across our stores.”

This move comes as part of Tesco’s 4Rs packaging strategy to tackle the impact of plastic waste. This means Tesco removes plastic where it can, reduces where it can’t, looks at ways to reuse more and recycle what’s left.

Since the launch of the 4Rs strategy in August 2019, Tesco has removed 1.8bn pieces of plastic and reduced packaging by more than 10,000 tonnes.

Fruit juices, crisps and cheese are among many products that are all now being produced using less plastic.

The National Food Waste Conference, organised by LetsRecycle.com, took place on 9th March 2023 at Wellcome Collection, London.

The conference, in partnership with NNFCC and the Renewable Energy Association, brought together many key food waste sectors. These included waste processors, food waste producers, waste management companies, local authorities and charities with sponsorships from Bio Capital, BioteCH4, BritishBins, DryCake, GapGroup, Hillend Engineering, Keenan Recycling, MetroSTOR, Peter Ridley Waste Systems, Severn Trent Green Power, TREST and YPO to discuss the opportunities and challenges that food waste presents.

The day was split into four sessions with networking opportunities breaking up the day.

Session One

Session one kicked off the conference with a sector overview chaired by Josh Doherty, Editor, Letsrecycle. com, followed by an overview of the anaerobic digestion market in the UK led by Lucy Hopwood Business Development Director, Lead Consultant for Bioenergy & Anaerobic Digestion NNFCC. This explained the important and widespread role anaerobic digestion plays in the UK’s Net Zero

Strategy as well as the current UK policies and regulations. This included the Green Gas Support Scheme; set to run until Autumn 2025 as well as the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), which encourages the production and use of eco-friendly and renewable fuels.

Session one also looked into the opportunities and challenges of the market. It explored its strong and significant growth potential as well as the possible impact of current supply chain issues and regulatory delays. Lucy Hopwood closed the session by reinforcing the message that the anaerobic digestion industry remains active and vibrant, with future development looking to be influenced by feedstock availability and accessibility.

Session one also explored the requirements of TEEP (Technically, Environmentally and Economically Practicable and Commission guidance), led by Peter Jones, Managing Consultant, Eunomia Research & Consulting as well as an exploration into the Carbon Benefits of Food Waste Prevention within the supply chain, with Robert Fell, Director and Chief Executive, MPMA & Canned Food UK.

Robert Fell covered the scope of metal food packaging, including the beginning of food can making, supply chain and storage benefits as well as environmental benefits associated with using cans. He explained when food spoils it produces methane which has a global warming potential many times that of carbon dioxide. Utilising metal food packaging, which is infinitely recyclable, provides an exceptionally long shelf life which benefits the environment as well as the nutritional value of food.

Session Two

Session Two delved into ‘Mandatory Food Waste Collections’, chaired by Jenny Grant, Head of Organics and Natural Capital, REA. This led into overviews of Food Waste Collection Service by WRAP’S Julia Bragg, Sector Specialist for Waste & Recycling and Chris Mills, Sector Specialist for Collections and Recycling. Julia and

Chris covered the importance of good scheme design and implementation in avoiding high costs, outlining the benefits in carbon terms and cost reductions.

Session two also reinforced the fact that 32% of residual waste collected at the kerbside is food waste which was followed by an analysis of cost and factors impacting communal food waste collections and bin surveys. It explored what can be done to assist with food waste prevention and to get more people involved with food waste recycling.

Following this, Darren Forster, Local Authority and Commercial Development Manager, Biogen UK, explored the Mandatory Food Waste Collections from Food Waste Recycling Company Perspective. This investigated how mandatory food waste collections will lead to a substantial increase in tonnages to anaerobic digestion and how this will impact local authorities to act quickly and engage with the anaerobic digestion sector.

Also covered in session two, Paul Brown, Sales and Aftersales Director, Hillend Engineering, delved into ‘Procurement Challenges and how to combat them’. This covered a wide range of topics, including how manufacturing was impacted by Brexit, COVID, the energy crisis and what vehicle manufacturers can do to combat these issues.

Session Three

Section three kicked off the afternoon with ‘Are we ready for mandatory food waste collections?’ and featured the keynote presentation from Evonne Cannan, Manager - Food Systems and Circular Bioeconomy, Zero Waste Scotland, which guided the audience through ‘Scotland – Progress with Challenges & Opportunities’. This included their zero-waste vision and specifically how they want to accelerate Scotland’s transition to zero waste and a circular economy.

1.3 billion tonnes of the world’s food is wasted every year. That’s the equivalent of 106 million meals being discarded every year in Scotland. Their plan is designed to reduce unnecessary demand and avoidable waste, optimising organic resources and support technical and business innovation. An update of this plan will be published later this year, outlining key focus areas, and highlighting the need for collaboration to reach this target as well as understanding the barriers in their path and how to use awareness to tackle the problem.

Next on the agenda was a panel discussion, deliberating ‘“Are we Ready for Mandatory Food Waste Collections?’” The panel comprised Evonne Cannan, Manager – Food Systems and Circular Bioeconomy, Zero Waste Scotland; Cathy Cook, Senior Advisor, ReLondon; (LARAC Chair); Nigel Deacon, Director, metroSTOR and Lee Dobinson, Chief Commercial Officer, BioteCH4.

Session Four

Session four rounded off the day with sector case studies, chaired by Barbora Vaclavova, reporter, Letsrecycle.com.

Matthew Homer, Waste Strategy Manager, Islington Council, presented the background and findings of ‘Food Waste Collections Trial for Flats Above Shops’. Matthew explored the pros and cons of compostable or plastic bags for food waste, communal food waste bins and the trial results, which while early days, are looking to be promising.

Following this, Helen White, Special Advisor - Household Food Waste, WRAP, led an exploration into the ‘Behaviour Change and Food Waste Action Week: how can we influence actual change?’ WRAP’s Food Waste Action Week, which took place on 6 - 12 March 2023, looked on ways to ‘Win. Don’t Bin.’ A key aim was to increase confidence in ‘using up leftovers’ that can have a significant impact on reducing food waste in the home.

Concluding the day, Helena Jackson, WasteAware Co-ordinator, Hertfordshire Waste Partnership, presented ‘#WORTHSAVING - SAVE FOOD, SAVE MONEY’. Helena explained that 8% of global GHG emissions are caused by consumers wasting food. They have an ambitious aim to reduce residential food waste tonnages by 20% of 2020 levels by 2025 with their campaign action plan, set for a county-wide roll out from May 2023.

The adoption of technology is growing rapidly in waste companies, as the waste industry embraces a more digital approach that support net zero targets. The possibilities are endless. More and more apps are being developed to help consumers manage their waste, particularly when it comes to food waste.

Cellulose depth oil filtration systems

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In today’s world, food waste is an increasing cause for concern with food waste refering to any food products that are thrown away as opposed to being consumed. The UK is responsible for 9.5 million tonnes of food waste every year. The majority of food waste ends up in a landfill site, contributing significantly to global warming, due to food releasing a large quantity of methane gas as it decomposes.

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Kind to the planet – as a natural, sustainable product

The good news is there are a variety of food waste apps that use different initiatives to help reduce food waste. Here are the top apps currently helping to alleviate the problem:

Save waste costs, replacement value and labour

Simple ‘plug and play’ application

As a fixed system on a problematic machine or mobile rotational cleanses across your site