Recycling milestone for trailblazing plastics plant

Continuum Recycling, the recycled-PET joint venture between Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) and ECO Plastics, has announced it has reached a milestone, sorting a quarter of a billion bottles within nine months and ramping up to 100 percent capacity.

The landmark comes some nine months after the £15 million facility was opened by then Waste Minister, Lord Taylor of Holbeach, and confirms the stellar performance of the partners in ramping up production.

Located on the site of ECO Plastics’ existing facility in Hemswell, Continuum is now responsible for processing more than 50 percent of the UK’s bottle grade rPET plastic. The success of the facility has allowed CCE to meet its commitment to use 25 percent rPET in all its bottles by the end of 2012, an industry first.

Nick Brown, Associate Director for Recycling at Coca-Cola Enterprises, said: “Continuum has proven to be a landmark initiative for the reprocessing industry. This state-of-the-art facility is a first for the industry and is truly transforming recycling in this country. Our partnership with ECO Plastics has helped us reach an important milestone in our on-going efforts to build a low-carbon, zero waste business here in Great Britain.”

The plant also played a key part in Coca-Cola’s efforts to recycle all of the plastic bottles used during the Olympics and Paralympics, with some 15 million collected and returned to shelves as part of 63 million new bottles during a process that lasted as little as six weeks.

“In the short time since opening, Continuum has allowed us to achieve our ambition of incorporating 25 percent recycled PET in all our plastic bottles and played a key role in helping to deliver a sustainable legacy for the London 2012 Olympic Games,” continued Brown. “Its success should demonstrate to everyone, from householders to Local Authorities and policy makers, the real environmental and economic benefits of recycling and the vast potential of the GB reprocessing sector.”

Jonathan Short, Managing Director of ECO Plastics, said: “Continuum was built in record time. Taking ten months to move from ground breaking to full commissioning for a plant of this scale and sophistication is no small achievement. Now to be exceeding our ramp-up plan is further testament to the expertise, dedication and determination of our team.”