Dutch grower commits to 100% recycled plastic pots and trays
Griffioen Wassenaar supplies from the spring of 2020 perennials will be in pots and trays, made of 100% recycled plastic. This avoids new plastics to get into the chain. Due to the Modiform´s ‘designed to recycle’-principle the pots, as well as the trays, are fit for re-use. Both companies make an effort for effective recycling and make explicit choices for the used commodities of their products. Stefan Verbunt (Assistant director Griffioen Wassenaar): “Our goal is it to use the plastics at least 5 times. Because of this, less commodities are needed and plastics will not get into the environment.”
Griffioen offers via garden centres a return program for the trays and pots. With this return program Griffioen Wassenaar bans out all ‘single use plastics’. The returned products will be recycled by Modiform. The return flow will be organized in a cost-neutral way. The investment costs for the new tray and pot will be covered by Griffioen Wassenaar and Modiform as investment in a sustainable future. Menno Krijger (Sales Director Modiform): ‘sustainable production is in our DNA and we are always looking to achieve more sustainability on all fronts. From Design up to recycling. And for that end we enter into cooperations within and outside the sector.’
The new, recyclable trays can be clearly recognized by their light grey colour. Modiform produces the trays from plastics, taken out of old refrigerators. As basic material for the Griffioen´s typical square P11 pots, Modiform uses consumer waste. The three colours for the pots can be detected and because of that recycled by the waste processors. Consumers can dispose of their pots with the domestic waste.
By intensively guiding their customers, Griffioen makes sure, that as much recyclable plastic as possible, will be collected for re-use. Modiform will expand its assortment, based on recycled materials to enable an increasing number of growers to use responsible products. In doing so, the grower will contribute in a positive way to the recycling process. Together both enterprises will involve other chain partners closely to make it possible for the use of recycled materials and the recycling of uses pots and trays to become the standard in horticulture.
Modiform focuses on multiple links in the chain and always thrives to find cooperation between the different parties. From refiners and gardeners to grossiers and retailers. Modiform supports, facilitates and develops simple as well as complex solutions to packaging issues and cultivation systems and doing so adding value to their customers. Sustainable thinking and operating is in the genes of this family business. Modiform collects materials from the society and upcycles these to high-end and differentiating products and innovating concepts.
Griffioen Wassenaar grows millions of perennials on a yearly basis in the very typical square 11 centimetre pots. A part of the production is applied, within the GreentoColour® concept, in public green zones. Before delivery, the plants will be extracted from the pot, that will be re-used up to five times. The plants find their way to the customer under the brand Hello Garden. The recent PlanetProof certification for Griffioen Wassenaar underlines the company´s above-average attention for sustainable entrepreneurship.
