IN CELEBRATION of WRAP Recycle Week 2024 (October 14 to 20) care homes meals supplier apetito has announced a significant milestone for its world-first closed loop recycling scheme having now recycled more than 30 million meal trays since it began in 2021.
This innovative system involves the business collecting back its washed, used PET meal trays directly from customers and sending them to a specialist recycling facility in the UK.
apetito’s system guarantees that 100 per cent of the collected trays are recycled into new ones which are then distributed back to the company for use, ensuring a closed loop system.
Originally launched through apetito’s consumer facing brand, Wiltshire Farm Foods, the scheme has since been expanded into both its NHS customers and partnering care homes across the UK, helping to achieve the impressive milestone. This expansion has led to 15 million tray returns in the last 12 months alone.
This year’s Recycle Week focuses on recycling and reusing everyday items that often unnecessarily end up in the rubbish bin, reminding everyone of the environmental benefits of recycling.
Lee Sheppard, director of corporate affairs, policy and sustainability at apetito and Wiltshire Farm Foods, said: “As a business we are committed to leading the way when it comes to sustainability. The latest RECOUP Household Plastic Packaging Collection Survey showed that only 39 per cent of plastic meal trays are collected, with 46 per cent of what is collected via household recycling getting sent abroad for processing, often with uncertain results.
“Since launching Project Boomerang back in 2021, we have seen brilliant results and had positive receptions of this scheme from our Wiltshire Farm Foods, healthcare and care home customers.
“Three years on, not only have we collected 30 million trays, but we can proudly say that every single one of those trays have been recycled back into brand new trays for our meals.
“We know that our customers thoroughly enjoy taking part in this process and feel reassured in the knowledge that they are doing the right thing for the environment and making a real difference.”