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Sustainable packaging firm Berry Global has partnered with Abel & Cole to supply lower-weight plastic bottles for its Club Zero Refillable Milk delivery service.

The new bottles, which are made with widely recyclable polypropylene (PP), can be refilled up to 16 times before being recycled and produce fewer transport and processing GHG emissions compared to glass bottles, which are traditionally used in milk rounds.

Abel & Cole's research suggests that reusing Club Zero Refillable Milk bottles just four times reduces its carbon footprint by 50%, compared to heavier glass bottles, which would take over 15 returns to reach similar emissions savings.

At the same time, the concept saves 450,000 single-use plastic milk bottles from landfills or incineration per year, equivalent to 23 tonnes of plastic.

The bottle design is optimised to support Abel & Cole’s cleaning process – the eight-stage process ensures thorough cleaning before being conveyed to the cleanroom for refilling. The new bottles do not have a handle, reducing ‘trap points’ where bacteria might gather and allowing for easy drainage.

Bottles were optimised to suit Abel & Cole's existing factory equipment – the bottles were reverse-engineered to fit the existing low-density polyethylene (LDPE) cap used for its milk bottles. This helps reduce costs and eliminates the need for new equipment investments. Additionally, the bottle fits into existing single-use milk crates.

Berry conducted chemical tests to ensure PP provided the strength and durability to undergo high processing temperatures and prevent breakage that is common to glass. The bottle label provides an ‘early warning’ system for each bottle’s end of life. The labelled bottles can be washed up to 16 times before the label shows signs of degradation, meaning that Abel & Cole can track bottle life and ‘retire’ each bottle when it is ready for recycling.

Sue Springett, senior marketing manager for Berry Agile Solutions, said: “We are committed to delivering innovative, reusable packaging solutions that help our customers make transformative leaps toward their sustainability goals. Through circular partnerships like these, we unpack complexities and help our customers understand what’s possible for the plastic substrate.”

#BerryGlobal #AbelandCole #milk #sustainability