The material used for the packs, which range from punnets for mushrooms to trays and nesting packs for stonefruit, is pulp from clean waste generated by paper suppliers, corrugators and box production processes. It is also possible to recycle the product with household recycling schemes, as well as compost it. Alternatively it would degrade naturally in landfill.
One major supermarket is already running a depot trial in Yaxley. And Richard Knight, business development manager at ESP is hoping the product will soon be available in another store’s ready-to-eat range of stone fruit. The Tewkesbury firm is also looking at applications for tomatoes and grapes.
“We want to get the big picture across to customers,” said Knight. “The opportunity is there for growers and packers to change over to a more environmental option. The cost is only a smidgen more than plastic punnets and that is down to transport costs as it does not nest as tightly as plastic.”
But when it comes to a reduction in a firm’s carbon footprint, the science is sound. “The product is made in Scotland on multi-headed machines that can make up to 10 different lines at a time,” said Knight. “They are designed to fit UK market specifications and fit in half and full crates.”
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