Tesco to use discarded plastic collected from coastal areas in fresh fish packaging
Tesco is to unveil fish packs containing at least 30% recycled coastal plastic collected from beaches, coastlines, and coastal communities around the Mediterranean Sea.
Plastic waste such as drinks bottles which is at risk of getting into the sea, is now being collected and recycled and used again in supermarket giants fresh fish packaging.
Tesco said that the move is expected to remove around 500 metric tonnes of plastic from the environment each year and reduce the amount of virgin plastic required in the packaging.
Plastic waste consisting of polypropylene, PET, polyethylene, and other types of plastic, is collected from coastal areas such as beaches, and coastal communities within 10 km from the sea. Collection and processing has been certified by the non-profit organisation Keep Sea Blue. Through its customised Blockchain Platform, powered by Oracle Blockchain technology, the organisation monitors and certifies the circularity of plastics ensuring full material traceability.
Sarah Bradbury, Tesco quality director, said: “Where we can, we are reducing the amount of new plastic we use in our business. Re-using coastal plastic in our fish packaging is one way we can do that and at the same time keep it out of the oceans.”
Lefteris Bastakis, founder of Keep Sea Blue: “Mismanaged plastic waste can only be solved by many partners working together. We are glad that Tesco is making a meaningful and active contribution to this programme towards protecting the Mediterranean Sea from plastic pollution and building a more sustainable future.”
