Faerch UK has introduced rPET food trays containing an average of 85% post-consumer recycled PET as part of an effort to address the ‘black tray recycling challenge.’
Evolve uses “a natural mix” of coloured PET which means that the product’s colour will vary, said Faerch, adding that the feature will enable consumers to recognise the trays as circular products.
Unlike common black trays which are usually undetectable by sorting infrastructure, Evolve trays are detectable and can be returned to the mixed stream where they can be recycled into new food safe products again.
According to Faerch, retailer interest in Evolve has been strong, driven by increasing public demand for sustainable and circular products.
Evolve complies with food regulations and functions in a temperature range between -40C and + 220C.
The trays are claimed to outperform alternative packaging materials “in particular on food safety, recycled content, and recyclability.”
“Evolve… represents a significant step forward in packaging and enables consumers to make the switch to a sustainable solution,” said Spencer Johnston, Regional CEO Faerch UK & Ireland.
To sweeten up the deal, Faerch has offered further recycling incentives to retailers who switch to the new product: An identical quantity of the volume of Faerch trays a retailer sells through its stores will be sourced as post-consumer waste locally in the UK and recycled into new food grade trays at one of Faerch’s production sites.