Nestlé has partnered with recycling firm Yes, Recycling in a bid to turn flexible plastics into building materials.
Nestlé is the first investor in the innovative Scottish facility and has since contributed a pre-investment of £1.65 million towards the organisation.
According to food producer, the facility is set to process an estimated 15,000 tonnes of flexible plastic once it opens at the end of 2021.
The business added that hard-to-recycle plastics such as its own Purina, KitKat and Rowntree materials will be collected from kerbside waste by Dunfermline company Cireco alongside several commercial streams.
READ MORE: Nestlé unveils plans for a regenerative growth system
The plastics will then be washed, sorted and broken down into pellets which will be compressed into a plywood alternative material called Ecosheet, which can reportedly be used in retail spaces, agriculture and construction and eventually recycled again.
“We are working at Nestlé to create circularity for our packaging so it can have multiple lives and uses and doesn’t end up as waste in landfill,” Nestlé UK and Ireland group packaging manager Alison Bramfitt said.
“Being able to partner with pioneering technology such as this is just one of the ways we are taking steps forward on this journey.
“We are looking at many partnerships to help encourage the recycling infrastructure in the UK.”
Yes, Recycling owner Omer Kutluoglu added: “Without the significant financial support of Nestlé, our ground-breaking plant for hard to recycle materials could never have come to fruition.
“Supporting domestic recycling and developing innovative solutions for complex plastics is a necessity for the environment and the economy.”
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