The Netherlands leads the way as the first country to implement this in the soft drink/beverage industry. Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) Netherlands is committed to reducing the use of virgin plastic and already sources the majority of its plastic from recycled materials, including plastic bottles (excluding caps and labels) and transportation packaging3.
In the Netherlands, the Coca-Cola bottler is now implementing a further initiative for wholesalers and Horeca markets. The famous red beverage crates, which are specifically designed for returnable glass bottles, are now being manufactured in accordance with the principles of the circular economy: with 97% recycled plastic.
As a pioneer in the field of beverage crate production, Schoeller Allibert is the ideal partner to pull out all the stops in this area.
“These crates have an average lifespan of 15 years, and it's not uncommon to find them still in use after 20 to 30 years,” says Eva Amsterdam, Sustainability Manager at Coca-Cola European Partners. “However, if they do break down, they can now serve as input for new crates.”
Cutting-edge technologies to reduce plastic waste
Schoeller Allibert has developed an innovative technology and production by which used beverage crates can be recycled in order to facilitate the production of new crates from the recycled material. The latest crates are composed of 97% recycled material consisting of 85% general old red crates, like those from CCEP, and 15% plastic that is typically challenging to recycle – in this case old tulip nets recycled by Healix.
“Although the majority of the recycled plastic utilized for the crates originates from general red recycling crates and not specifically from our crates, we have taken measures to ensure that the typical red remains discernible. This is achieved through a subtle ‘swirl’ effect in the color. This reduces plastic waste during production.” states Julie De Bruyckere, Key Account Manager, Schoeller Allibert.
The new recycled crates have been extensively tested at the Schoeller Allibert test center in Hardenberg and found to be just as sturdy as the current ones4. They are ready to last for years and years.
Julie De Bruyckere shares her excitement about the collaboration. “Thanks to our groundbreaking material innovation, Schoeller Allibert is revolutionizing the production of beverage crates by harnessing previously untapped streams of recycled materials. This significant step not only reduces CO2 emissions but also aligns with our commitment to pushing the sustainability agenda further together with our customers. To achieve this, we have developed cutting-edge technologies that expand the possibilities of color variations in the materials we utilize.
