McVitie’s, owned by United Biscuits, has partnered with international recycling company TerraCycle to create a scheme where McVitie’s will pay for wrappers to be posted to TerraCycle’s facilities within the UK. The biscuit maker has also pledged to make a donation for each wrapper received to a charity nominated by the consumer.
The material will be initially sent to TerraCycle’s transfer station in Croydon, London, and then move to a separate recycling site to be reused in items such as park benches, watering cans, waste bins and paving.
TerraCycle deals predominantly with materials for which there is no current recycling infrastructure, opposed to more lucrative resources such as paper and plastic. The company has run similar collection schemes previously for pens, yoghurt pots and medical inhalers.
General Manager of TerraCycle UK, Chris Baker, commented:
“We are delighted that such an iconic brand as McVitie’s is partnering with us to take ownership of what happens to used biscuit wrappers in the UK. With McVitie’s support we are confident that we can reach people across the UK and encourage them to work with us to make a real difference.”
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In order for consumers to recycle their biscuit wrappers, they will have to sign up to the TerraCycle website. Once registered, consumers can download a pre-paid shipping label to post their wrappers to the Croydon transfer station.
Marketing Controller for McVitie’s, Vicki Gregory, said of the scheme:
“McVitie’s is delighted to be able to offer consumers a solution that allows them, for the first time in the UK, to recycle biscuit wrappers. This innovative scheme not only ensures that biscuit wrappers are reused, it also helps to protect the environment whilst helping the public to raise funds for their favourite charity.”
Gregory concluded McVitie’s Biscuit Wrapper Brigade:
“We are encouraging retailers and consumers across the UK, who love biscuits, to set up a collection point and help us to save as many biscuit wrappers from landfill as possible, making a difference to both their local environment and raising money for worthy causes.”
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