Enval’s zero-waste-to-landfill recycling scheme, the Laminates League, welcomed three new members: Merchant Gourmet, Funkin Cocktails and The BIB Wine Company. The Laminates League aims to raise awareness around the recyclability of flexible packaging and has developed a process for recycling it, with brands such as Little Freddie, The Collective and Yeo Valley amongst its members. 

The BIB Wine Company joined the Laminates League in Dec. 2020, initially enabling the recycling of its wine taster packs. The company is now extending its involvement to its range of bag-in-box wines. Enval will recycle the bags and taps used in this product, reportedly making BIB Wine the first boxed wine company to offer its customers a method to recycle 100% of its packaging. Customers are able to add a free pre-paid recycling bag with each order, which will enable them to send the packaging to Enval for recycling. 

Oliver Lea, co-founder and managing director at The BIB Wine Company, says, “Joining the Laminates League enables us to offer our low carbon footprint packaging whilst ensuring the best possible recycling outcome for our products once used. We were hugely impressed with Enval’s technology, its existing capabilities and the team’s approach. We believe Enval’s solution will change the way we recycle in the UK and further afield for the better and closes the plastic waste loop.” 

Merchant Gourmet will integrate the Laminates League into its Appetite for Change Recycle Scheme. Enval will recycle the company’s ready-to-eat pulses and grains pouches, as well as its chestnut and chestnut puree packs. Merchant Gourmet’s customers can request a free recycling kit from the company’s website, which they can use to send the product to Enval in a pre-paid envelope. 

Richard Peak, Merchant Gourmet’s managing director, says, “Enval’s commitment to making positive changes to the plastic and waste management industries aligns with our appetite for change. Its innovative chemical recycling process was the most sustainable solution for recycling hard to recycle plastics than any other options available. Now that we’re part of the Laminates League, we’ll be able to recycle most products in our range and provide a simple one-stop solution for our customers. Through our Appetite for Change Recycling Scheme we’re aiming to keep 100,000 pouches out of landfill in the first year.”

Funkin Cocktails’ trade customers will be able to recycle the company’s puree pouches through the Laminates League by using the free, pre-paid recycling bag with each order. Ben Anderson, marketing director at Funkin Cocktails, says, “Our puree pouches are a central part of our business, so we wanted to ensure that we could offer an efficient and sustainable disposal solution to our customers. Enval’s recycling scheme and technology perfectly match what we were looking for.”  

The packaging used by the three companies is all composed of several layers of different plastics. Using its unique proprietary pyrolysis solution capable of handling low-density packaging waste, Enval will recycle the plastics into oils that can be reprocessed and put back into circulation to produce new plastic. When treating pouches containing a layer of aluminum foil, Enval’s technology will separate the aluminum from the plastic packaging and turn it into new ingots that are reintroduced into the supply chain and used to manufacture new products.

Enval’s CEO Dr. Carlos Ludlow-Palafox, says, “We are delighted to see the Laminates League expanding. With each new member, the Laminates League demonstrates to local authorities, FMCG brands and consumers that flexible complex packaging can be recycled using our technology. We are looking forward to welcoming new members and working more closely with local authorities, waste handlers and other contractors to develop and implement an efficient collection and segregation system across the UK.”

Visit www.enval.com for more information.