Supermarkets in resort set to slash plastic waste by using clear plastic

Aldi is to save around 265 tonnes of plastic a year in Blackpool as it starts to use recyclable clear trays on its fresh fruit and vegetables.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Sep 2018, 10:41 BST
Updated 6th Sep 2018, 10:46 BST
Aldi is to slash waste by swapping black plastic trays for clear ones which recycling machines can deal with betterAldi is to slash waste by swapping black plastic trays for clear ones which recycling machines can deal with better
Aldi is to slash waste by swapping black plastic trays for clear ones which recycling machines can deal with better

The supermarket, which has seven stores in the resort, is phasing out hard-to-recycle black plastic trays on a range of fresh produce and replacing them with clear, recyclable alternatives.

t said the move was part of its commitment to ensure all its packaging is recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.

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Black plastic cannot be identified by the machinery used to sift through household waste and, as a result, ends up being diverted to landfill or burned for energy.

At the same time, Aldi is also changing the packaging of its pasta pots to use 95 per cent recycled material, cutting a further 139 tonnes.

Fritz Walleczek, managing director of corporate responsibility at Aldi UK, said: “Cutting waste is part of Aldi’s DNA and we have a longstanding commitment to minimise our impact on the environment.

"One part of that is to prevent plastic going to landfill by using materials that are easier to recycle, but also to ensure that there is a demand for recycled plastic by using it in products.”

Related topics:AldiBlackpool