In This Issue
Spring on hold - but for how long?
Bridgford Garden Centre gets set for Easter business
Wyevale unveils its first Garden Trends Report
Latest fashion trends inspire 68% increase in Added Value at Allensmore Nurseries
"I will FIX this issue" Gardman CEO updates GTN Xtra on delivery issues
Squire’s Garden Centre in Woking now open
Glee at Spring Fair proves fruitful for Creative Products
Sowing the seeds of fundraising success
Zest 4 Leisure announces 2018 charity partner
Polypropylene plant pot range suitable for recycling collections
New Triple Action Soil Enricher - Bloomin Amazing™ - launched in Dorset
Outback's Jupiter stars in Wyevale Best Product nominations
App controlled electric barbecue launches in the UK
From Stores to Stories - report and pictures from TREx in Holland
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Permission granted to build homes on former garden centre site
Vital expands support to garden centres
Carol Klein to open Blenheim Palace Flower Show
Patio Plant for 2018: Agapanthus
Looking for Christmas Ideas for 2018?
The best of last week's
Garden centre customers get the 'Love Spring' message
Local residents ‘sad’ at proposed closure of Reigate Garden Centre
Whitco CEO Jeff Whitaker passes away after short illness
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
The Klondyke Group announce appointment of Catering Director
Shop of the Year branches out, with revamped awards in store for independent retailers
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Polypropylene plant pot range suitable for recycling collections

 

Plastic container manufacturer Aeroplas has launched a polypropylene plant pot range which it says is suitable for recycling collections from households.

The ‘Eco Pot’ range was created in order to “move forward” the company’s beliefs that its plant pots should be included with kerbside collections.


The Tipton-based company describes itself as a “leading manufacturer of shrub containers, thermo pots and transport trays”. To prove the range was recyclable, the company last month provided plastics trade body RECOUP with samples of plant pots manufactured from 100% reprocessed carbon-free polypropylene for testing.

Carbon pigment plastic products of all colours absorb Infra-Red from detection systems, which makes sorting for recycling of these products much harder. The company say that by making the carbon-free pots, they will get through the system and can be reprocessed providing they are clean.


Tests were carried out on samples at the TOMRA testing centre in December 2017. The samples comprised of 8 different colours, including black, and were 100% correctly identified as polypropylene by sorters.


While 76% of local authorities collect pots, tubs and trays, there are only a handful who collect plant pots as part of a kerbside collection service. Some independent garden centres do offer a pot recycling service but issues around the quality of material due to cleanliness has made some pots difficult to re-use.


Also, many plastic gardening bedding packs are black which has been difficult to detect at sorting facilities. Aeroplas say that by making the products carbon-free, this has enabled them to be detected and thus more easily recycled.


RECOUP chief executive Stuart Foster commented that he sees “no reason” why the pots shouldn’t be included in household recycling collections and hopes it will send out a positive message.


“This is Aeroplas saying to the leadership that an ideal solution for an industry roll-out of pot collections is needed, alongside UK local authorities changing the message it delivers to recyclers to explain that plant pots can be recycled.  The release doesn’t resolve all issues at once but does help show that at least some plant pots can be recycled effectively.


Mr Foster added that sometimes when manufacturers stop using black-plastic packaging, it still contains carbon-pigment so can sometimes not get through the system so it is not always a case of just changing the colour of plastics.

 

He said:  “You have to look at what pigment is used which can be difficult. Whenever this pot goes in it will go through the system and is now for rest of industry to adopt the same principles. We need evidence it will get through and be recycled.”


Aeroplas say it will continue to develop the pots over the coming months and are “delighted that they can prove that not all plastic packaging should be seen in a negative light."

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