Nestlé and Coca-Cola Enterprises are involved in a consortium that is testing the feasibility of including flexible laminated packaging in household recycling schemes.
Flexible laminated packaging includes food and drink pouches, pet food pouches and toothpaste tubes.
Anthesis LRS, which is leading the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Action Based Research programme-funded project, aims to recover the aluminium from the packaging.
Nine-month trials have begun, with support from Bracknell Forest Council, in Berkshire, Calderdale Council, in West Yorkshire and the London Borough of Hounslow.
Up to 260 households in each local authority area have been provided with facilities to participate.
SUEZ environment is managing the collections and initial sorting. Envan, the technology developer, will recycle the material at its demonstration facility at the Alconbury Enterprise Zone, near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
Alison Ingle, group packaging manager, at Nestlé UK & Ireland, said: “Flexible laminated packaging is important to help protect our products and we are keen to support innovation to increase its recycling.”
The food group was helping to communicate to the public what could be recycled, using some of its brands that use laminated packaging, such as Nescafé and Felix.
“We hope our brands can help influence the public’s perception of recycling and encourage positive behaviour,” Ingle said.
Giustina Diana, recycling manager GB, at Coca-Cola Enterprises, said: “We are always keen to support initiatives that provide sustainable solutions for the packaging from our products.
“We are keen that our Capri-Sun brand supports the trial and helps people to identify the very specific types of packaging they are being asked to recycle.”
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