London Olympics Strike Landmark Recycling Deal
2012 London Olympic organising committee LOCOG have signed a landmark deal with bio-plastics manufacturers to maximise the amount of biodegradable packaging used at the games, and to limit its overall environmental impact.
Due to the high visitor number expected for the Olympics (approx. 6.5million), environmental issues are high on the list of the organising committee’s priorities. Under the rules of the agreement any plastic products that cannot be recycled using existing waste streams must be made from compostable bio plastics. This type of packaging will be tightly regulated by the NNFCC, the trade representative of all biopolymer producers in the UK.
Food packaging is a hidden problem for organisers, many people think only of the logistical issues such as ticket sales, accommodation and transport when considering problems for the organising committee. However, there will be an estimated 3,300 tonnes of food packaging waste generated during the games, and finding a place for this sort of waste on Britain’s overloaded landfills would not be possible. The organisers have committed to recycling, reusing or composting around 70% of this amount, and have set themselves the target to send no waste directly to landfill from the venues.
Much of the biodegradable waste created at the games will hopefully be sent to anaerobic digesters. This form of recycling uses microorganisms to break down biodegradable materials, the end result is a biogas rich in methane and carbon dioxide. Biogas can be used to create energy and, it is hoped will provide an effective alternative to fossil fuels.
The UK is lagging behind a lot of European countries in terms of the amount of waste they can recycle. This initiative will hopefully prove effective in setting a good standard for future large events in the UK and how their packaging is disposed of. It is important for the government to support this kind of initiative in order for the UK to catch up with its neighbours.
The Printed Bag Shop use bio plastics in their punched handle bags. This material degrades under exposure to UV light and will quickly disintegrate to minimise its impact on the environment.
Article Courtesy of Peter Barlow at The Printed Bag Shop
