Walkers introduces new recycling scheme

Walkers have introduced a new recycling scheme in a bid to reduce the plastic waste it produces.

The new recycling scheme, starting from December, will be a partnership with TerraCycle. Crisp packets from any brand will be accepted and the public are encouraged to drop them off at any one of the hundreds of new collection points across the UK.

The initiative is the UK’s first nationwide recycling scheme for crisps packets and has been introduced after reports that Walkers produce 7,000 non-recyclable crisp packets every minute.

This invoked the campaign company 38 degrees to start a petition to try and reduce the amount of plastic being produced. The public also got involved, with one biology student wearing a dress made out of crisp packets to promote plastic pollution. Recently, the public have also mailed back crisp packets, causing havoc for Royal Mail, in an act of defiance.

In response to this, the Walkers recycling scheme also allows you to post your crisp packets to TerraCycle, free of charge.

Ian Ellington, general manager of Walkers' owner PepsiCo UK, said: "We share people's concerns about the amount of plastic in our environment and are working on a number of both short and long-term solutions to reduce the impact of our packaging."

Once the packets have been collected they will be cleaned, shredded and turned into small plastic pellets which will then be converted into useful plastic items, such as benches and fence posts.

Laure Cucuron, General Manager, TerraCycle Europe: “We’re delighted to be working with Walkers to launch the UK’s first nationwide recycling scheme for crisp packets. We hope other snacks manufacturers will follow suit, by investing in new ways to reduce the amount of packaging that goes to landfill and incineration.”

This news follows Walkers ambition to make all of its packing 100 per cent recyclable, compostable or biodegradable by 2025.

Photograph: Packaging Europe/Walkers