Pact Group is partnering with Goodman Fielder’s Meadow Fresh brand to launch the first recycled HDPE milk bottle in New Zealand.
In what is a first for New Zealand mainstream high-volume milk, Pact is now manufacturing all Meadow Fresh one and two-litre fresh milk bottles with 30 per cent food-grade rHDPE; reducing the 830 tonnes of virgin plastic used annually by 250 tonnes.
Until now the milk bottles have been manufactured from 100 per cent virgin plastic, which comes from the petro chemical industry, from crude oil or gas. The aim is to use 100 per cent recycled HDPE for milk bottles by the end of this decade.
The new milk bottles are themselves fully recyclable, and back into milk bottles, in large part because the white resin from the bottles has been removed. Previous recycling of the milk bottles limited their use to milk crates, building products and the like because of the white resin.
Bernard Duignan, CEO at Goodman Fielder New Zealand, called the move an important milestone for the business, he said, “Making it easier for consumers to make the right choice for our planet is key to ensuring a better future. We are thrilled to introduce a solution that provides consumers a choice to make a better impact on the planet with Meadow Fresh milk, without impacting their wallets.”
Pact Group managing director and Group CEO Sanjay Dayal commended Goodman Fielder on this industry first, he said “Consumers are increasingly demanding sustainable packaging that incorporates high quality, food-grade recycled content. By partnering with likeminded partners like Goodman Fielder, we can lead the circular economy together, through sustainable packaging innovation.”
In addition to Meadow Fresh’s launch of a more sustainable bottle, 2021 has already seen Meadow Fresh operated sites switch to using 100 per cent renewable electricity, and the business is also actively participating in EECA’s Energy Transition Accelerator Program to develop road maps to zero emissions at each site.
