Following the success of the inaugural RECOUP awards in 2022, the awards returned bigger and better this year as part of the Pre-Conference Networking Dinner the evening before the highly anticipated RECOUP Plastics Resource and Recycling Conference. Yet again the awards generated a lot of interest from across the plastics resources and recycling value chain with strong entries received for all categories.

Presented by Tom Heap, and RECOUP Chairman, Jim Armstrong, the first winner announced was for the ‘Best Development or Innovation to enhance plastic products for recyclability or re-use' award which was presented to Apetito & Wiltshire Farm Foods Ltd for their ‘boomerang’ initiative. Apetito have created a sustainable closed-loop recycling system for ready meal trays. Working with Wiltshire Farm Foods, plastic trays are collected from customers each week, leaving them with nothing but the film lid. 100% of the trays collected will then be made into brand new trays, all here in the UK.

The winner of the second award for ‘Recycled Plastic Product of the Year’ was presented to SEAQUAL INITIATIVE for their high quality 100% post-consumer recycled polyester yarn, SEAQUAL® YARN. Useful for a multitude of applications SEAQUAL® YARN is a sustainable fabric containing approximately 10% SEAQUAL® MARINE PLASTIC (from plastic marine litter), with the remaining 90% being post-consumer PET from land sources.

The third winner announced was for the ‘Best Innovation in Equipment or Technology to Improve the Collection, Sorting, Reprocessing or Re-use of Plastics’ award which was presented to Greyparrot for their AI Waste Recognition System. Greyparrots’ AI Waste Recognition System uses cutting edge AI-based Computer Vision to automate waste composition analysis at scale, providing insights that inform our decision-making on how to optimise our processes helping to increase recycling rates, reduce the cost of manual sampling, enhance product quality, and empower next generation smart systems.

The Chairman’s award, presented by Tom Heap and RECOUP Chairman, Jim Armstrong, was awarded to recognise individuals outside of RECOUP and the Board who have enabled the organisation to fulfil its aims of driving forward plastics recycling and resource management through dedicating their time, knowledge and support. This year two individuals were chosen to be recognised by this award.

The first Chairman’s award was presented to Hannah Clifford, Strategic Development Manager, Biffa. Anne Hitch, Business and Project Development Lead, RECOUP, commented “Hannah was nominated for the award as throughout the last year she aided RECOUP in the drive to move up plastics recycling, aiding the team to bring partners together on a range of projects from citizen communications in the region to MRF trials as well as facilitating team visits. Nothing has been too much trouble.”  

Nominated by the Packaging team at RECOUP, the second Chairman’s award went to Jonathan Attwood, Head of Technical, Bright Green. The Packaging team commented “For the past year, Jonathan has provided the RECOUP packaging team with invaluable support. His knowledge and advice have been a great help to the team particularly with some of the more challenging questions. Jonathan is always willing to help no matter how big or small or the request. From site visits and regular communications, the guidance he provides has helped the team expand their knowledge and respond to members. We thank Jonathan for his support and expertise and hope to continue working with him.”

Congratulations to the award winners and thank you to the judges and all the entries for this year’s awards. Don’t miss out on submitting an entry next year, the application process will be announced in due course.

For more information about RECOUP, the work they do and how to become a member, please email enquiry@recoup.org, visit www.recoup.org or call 01733 390021.