A new collaboration between Ineos and French dairy brand Lactel will see the production of Lactel’s first milk bottles made from high density polyethylene derived from chemically recycled waste plastic.
The partnership stems from the sustainability commitments of both companies to drive down the impact of plastic packaging on the environment.
Ineos has the capacity to manufacture over 8.5 million metric tons of chemicals and polymers , or 5.5 million tonnes per year of olefins and aromatics, and 3 million tonnes of polyolefins, at a total of eight sites and is Europe's largest olefin producer.
As part of its commitment to a circular economy, it has set itself a number of targets to meet by 2025, including ensuring that 100 percent of its polymer products are recyclable by that date, incorporating at least 325,000 tonnes per year of recycled material goes into products; and offering range of polyolefin products for packaging applications in Europe containing 50 percent or more recycled content.
Advanced recycling technology converts waste plastic back to its basic molecules which are then used in Ineos production sites to include recycled contents and replace traditional fossil-based raw materials.
“Via advanced recycling, we are able to supply virgin quality polymer from recycled plastic that is ideal for even the most demanding food contact applications like milk. Another big step in the right direction,” said Xavi Cros, CEO of Ineos Olefins & Polymers Europe/South.
Lactel is the first dairy brand, in collaboration with Ineos, to explore a solution for milk bottles produced with circular polyethylene, derived from post-consumer recycled material. Lactel is part of the French Lactalis Group.
"This trial production of 140,000 milk bottles, based on HDPE from advanced recycling technology, is a world first and a major step forward for Lactel towards a circular economy,” said Anne Charles-Pinault, general manager at Lactel France. “This new innovative product will be used in the Montauban production plant for an initial production run.”