Longstanding Sustainability & Circular Economy Consultants PPS and Oakdene Hollins Join Forces to Form Powerful Alliance

Peterborough based sustainability and circular economy experts PPS Independent Consultants has formed a powerful new alliance with another leading sustainability consultancy Oakdene Hollins.

Both organisations have been actively working in the environment, resources and sustainability space for many years, with PPS also delivering the work of national plastics circular economy charity RECOUP.

Stuart Foster who leads the group said “this is a win win win for the three organisations who will continue to deliver excellent science and data driven consultancy, project management and research projects for local, national and international clients. From resources management, re-use and recycling to carbon accounting, lifecycle assessments and sustainability strategies, this is an important time for all companies to understand and practically deliver on sustainability and circular economy aims and targets, and we can help them on that journey.”

PPS, Oakdene Hollins, and RECOUP have each built strong reputations since the early 1990’s and are now positioned as one of the UK’s most capable and knowledgeable sustainability consultancies driven by a trusted team of experts and associates. PPS has long provided strategic and practical support to the public and private sector, packaging, and waste management industries. Oakdene Hollins also brings particular strengths in the manufacturing, furniture, and automotive sectors.

“Oakdene Hollins expertise is second to none and has proven itself time and again in helping businesses reduce their impact on the environment,” said former Managing Director Simon Scholes. “I have known PPS and RECOUP for many years and collaborated with Stuart on various projects. In my view, he is the best person to take Oakdene Hollins to the next level at this exciting time.”

Stuart Foster added “Building on the existing network of projects, customers and funders, the expanded team can now offer businesses an even more comprehensive, accessible, data and value-driven range of environmental services. The strengthened team will help UK and international clients across diverse sectors understand, implement and measure effective sustainability and circular economy strategies and programmes.”

RECOUP Awards entry deadline only 1 month away!

With only 1 month left to enter the prestigious RECOUP Awards 2025, RECOUP, the leading independent authority and trusted voice on plastics resource efficiency and recycling, is urging all organisations and individuals in the plastics value chain to submit their entries before the deadline on 27 June. The awards are FREE to enter with entries welcome from all relevant organisations and individuals looking to be recognised for their work and initiatives under the following award categories:

• Plastics Industry Champion – Recognises an individuals’ achievements in the plastics industry, particularly in relation to recycling and resource efficiency measures.
• Plastics Circularity Project of the Year – Spotlights innovative and forward-thinking initiatives that significantly contribute to the industry’s ability to drive meaningful change for the plastics circular economy.
• Best Innovation in Equipment or Technology – This award will be presented to the business or organisation which can show how it has developed a new (or evolved an existing) technology or piece of equipment to improve the collection, sorting, reprocessing or re-use of plastics.
• Best Plastic Product Development for Recyclability or Re-Use – Aims to raise awareness and showcase the latest packaging and product innovations and designs that improve or encourage recyclability or re-use.
• Recycled Plastic Product of the Year – Showcases new product innovations and designs for plastic packaging or products containing recycled content.

Beyondly, sponsors of the 2025 RECOUP Awards & Dinner,commented “Beyondly are delighted to be sponsoring the RECOUP Awards and the role they play in fostering a more sustainable and circular plastics value chain and celebrating excellence in resource efficiency.

The organisations and individuals entering these awards are demonstrating a strong commitment to innovation, sustainability, and leadership within the plastics industry. The awards are a fantastic opportunity to showcase impactful achievements such as pioneering recycling and resource efficiency efforts, advancing the circular economy through groundbreaking projects, and developing new or improved technologies and equipment that enhance plastic collection, sorting, reprocessing, and reuse.

We are honoured to support RECOUP’s important mission in celebrating innovative and inspiring initiatives that are advancing plastic circularity and contributing to a more sustainable future. We wish every entrant the very best of luck! “

The awards will be presented at the RECOUP Awards & Pre-conference Networking Dinner on Wednesday 24 September 2025, at the Holiday Inn, Peterborough West and will recognise and celebrate the innovative and inspiring projects, products and initiatives that have helped to drive the circularity of plastics for a more sustainable future. To apply for the awards and book your ticket to the celebration dinner, please visit the RECOUP website. If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact RECOUP at enquiry@recoup.org .

Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I invests £6m in sustainability makeover for Lucozade Energy

New bottle design will save 956 tonnes of plastic annually, enhance recyclability and support the circular economy.

14th May 2025, Coleford, UK: Lucozade producer Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I (SBF GB&I) has invested £6.3 million in a major packaging redesign for Lucozade Energy bottles, significantly reducing plastic use and supporting the efficient recycling of its bottles.

Lucozade Energy bottles will now feature a half sleeve that covers just 50% of the bottle height compared to previous full-length sleeves. This results in a 60% reduction in the total sleeve weight, removing 956 tonnes of new plastic per year. The changes also reduce water use during production, equivalent to an Olympic-sized swimming pool every 289 days.

The project involved installing new sleeves with the latest technology across three different production lines in SBF GB&I’s factory in Coleford. The work took a collective 470 working days, delivered in only six weeks.

Karl Ottomar, Supply Chain Director, SBF GB&I, comments: “As one of the biggest energy brands in the UK, producing over 3,000 bottles of Lucozade Energy per minute, this has been a complex and large-scale change for our factory. While reducing a drink’s sleeve size may sound simple, it has required a full redesign of the bottle and complete change in componentry on our production lines. The team have dedicated thousands of hours to plan and then successfully implement the changes on our lines and I’m so proud of their incredible commitment to this project and helping us meet our sustainability goals.”

Fraser McIntosh, Head of External Affairs and Sustainability, SBF GB&I comments: “This change marks a significant step forward in our journey towards achieving 100% sustainable plastic packaging across our portfolio by 2030. At a time when we face increasing cost pressures as a business, we continue to prioritise sustainability, demonstrating our company value of Growing for Good. It’s another major investment in our factory, helping to build a sustainable future for our brands and the home where they are made.”

The changes are also important for the recyclability of Lucozade Energy bottles as the reduced sleeve continues to support bottle to bottle recycling. It ensures the bottle can be sorted into the clear plastics stream at recycling facilities allowing it to be recovered to create new bottles again.

Paul East, Head of Packaging Recycling and Design at RECOUP endorses the move: “RECOUP are proud to have been part of the journey to redesign the Lucozade Energy bottle. This new design meets recyclability guidelines, meaning the bottles can be easily sorted at recycling centres and reduces the amount of overall plastic produced. The next step is to encourage more consumers to dispose of the bottles correctly, in the certainty that the bottle will be detected and recycled.”

This latest project is not only important for SBF GB&I’s sustainable packaging commitments but also its emission reduction targets and journey to net zero. Packaging accounts for 15.5% of the company’s Scope 3 emissions and a removal of 956 tonnes of plastic a year helps towards its goal of reducing these emissions by 30% by 2030.

The packaging evolution for Lucozade Energy follows similar changes to the sleeve length made to Ribena bottles in 2020 and Lucozade Sport in 2021. SBF GB&I has invested a total of £11.3m over five years to support the development of its sustainable packaging as it collaborates with industry to achieve a circular economy for plastics, work that includes advocating for and delivering a DRS in the UK by October 2027.

The new Lucozade Energy bottles will also feature a new ergonomic embossed design showcasing Lucozade’s iconic “Arc” logo, enhancing both brand recognition and bottle texture. The new bottles are now rolling out in store.

The RECOUP Summit – A Resounding Success

The inaugural RECOUP Summit, sponsored by WRAP and Ecosurety, held on the 30 April in Leeds, was a resounding success. It reconfirmed the need for more innovation and collaboration with industry and government support to ensure we deliver on the promise of a plastic circular economy. Focused on developments in technology that will help to drive improvements in the plastics recycling and resource efficiency value chain, the event hosted attendees from across the plastics value chain with an exciting line up of speakers based across focused breakout rooms in the morning and a collaborative session in the afternoon.

The morning kicked off with a focused session on advanced recycling technologies, where speakers including Geoff Brighty from Mura Technology,  Emmeline Aves of ReVentas, and Sam Pine from Greyparrot, shared tangible examples of innovation transforming the sector and facilitating the circular economy. Hearing about a variety of available solutions including low carbon dissolution recycling, scalable chemical recycling approaches and AI-based waste intelligence tools the message was clear: technology is available now – but its deployment depends on supportive infrastructure, policy alignment, and commercial investment.

Another breakout session zeroed in on food contact packaging, exploring how innovation is enhancing recycled content in high end applications. Speakers for this session included Jeremy Blake from Amcor, David Bargery from Regis Machinery, and Paul Marshall from Nextek, who highlighted the industry’s regulatory, legislative, and cost hurdles. The session honed in on solutions for producing food grade recycled polypropylene (PP), the removal of contaminants from recycled materials and solutions for converting films back into food-grade material.. This session made it clear that with the right technologies and collaborative effort, we can break down existing barriers taking higher levels of food contact recycled content from aspiration to reality.

In the final breakout session, the conversation turned to the role of data in the circular economy  – its power, its gaps, and its role in delivering a true circular economy. Sophie Walker from Dsposal, Rachel Warren from Re-universe, and Will Addy from Polytag, came together to highlight the need for good data, stressing how upcoming legislation and new targets require data from the sector to benchmark delivery and progress. It was very apparent throughout the session that inefficient data gathering systems and inaccurate data can hamper progress, however, with effective and accurate data we can make better and more informed choices that play a huge role in delivering a circular economy for plastics and packaging materials.

The day culminated in a dynamic collaborative session led by Robbie Staniforth (Ecosurety), where panellists including Liz Wildman (MARS), Steve Walsh (TOMRA), James Donaldson (Sortology), Angela Doyle (Robinson Packaging), and Paul Mayhew (MBA Polymers). The panel tackled some of the sector’s thorniest issues: infrastructure gaps, technical limitations, greenwashing, and the reality of consumer engagement. The panel called for smarter packaging design, investment into system resilience, and the need to make recycled plastics commercially viable. However, it was also noted that real progress requires more than individual action, reinforcing the importance of joined-up action across industry, government, and innovators, backed by clear policy signals, targeted funding, and infrastructure investment. If we come together to bridge gaps and technical challenges across industry we can allow the plastic circular economy to flourish.

The RECOUP Summit underscored the critical need for aligned innovation, policy, and investment to drive meaningful progress in plastics recycling and the circular economy. By bringing together voices from across the value chain, the event not only highlighted current challenges but also showcased tangible solutions already shaping the future. As collaboration deepens between stakeholders, and with continued support from government and industry alike, we move closer to realising a truly circular and sustainable system for plastics.

Recyclability Assessment Methodology

Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) – Introduction

The Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM) will evaluate packaging to ensure that it can be recycled and transformed into new products. All packaging that is placed on the UK market and reported as household waste in 2025 will be reviewed using details on the RAM. From 2026, modulated fees will be applied accordingly to each packaging format.

Packaging will be rated as either green, amber or red. Green suggest that the packaging has a recognised path for collection, sorting and recycling and will have lower fees applied than less recyclable materials, which will be rated amber or red. Producers will need to report their data from October 2025 with fees being applied from 2026 onwards.

RAM v1.1  – Observations

Following work and consultations during 2024, an initial draft copy of the RAM was released in December 2024. At this point, DEFRA listened to some of the comments from RECOUP, from RECOUP members, and from other organisations.

There then followed an initial launch to trade bodies of a draft final version on 8^th April 2025, then the most recent version of the DEFRA Ram was released on 28^th April 2025. Comparing the most recent releases; no significant changes to anything in the ‘plastics’ sections, from the draft version 1.1 which we had seen, and the final 28 April version. Minor changes include the removal of the ‘boxes’ around the items marked for ‘2025 assessment’, which now form part of the main text.

However, there are more than a few outstanding queries and questions, which we have communicated to DEFRA, on the latest version.

One pressing issue is the materials or combinations which have been removed from the RAM for ‘2025 assessment’. This means that the following are now deemed acceptable: the comparison is with RECOUP Recyclability By Design guidelines (RBD) for plastic packaging recyclability:

Attached label or sleeve over 40% (bottle) 60% (PTTs) of surface area

• Amber in RBD

 PET trays with PE seal layer

• Red in RBD

 HDPE items with fillers eg. Talc, CaCO3

• Red in RBD

 Attached labels or sleeves comprised of paper

• Amber in RBD

Of the comments submitted by RECOUP following the initial ‘version 1’, we were pleased that DEFRA accepted some RECOUP recommendations, including;

–              RAM classifies any PET pot/tub/tray with anti-blocking agents as amber – rendering basically any tray manufacturers entire portfolio as amber!

RECOUP shows de-nest in Green column, Anti-block in centre column. Anti-block in the masterbatch is acceptable. We have a statement to this effect written for us by Faerch.

This instruction was removed from RAM v1.1

–              RAM states “if an item of packaging or component contains any of the following it is classified as red: attached label adhesives which are not removable in an 80°C hot wash”

This is too generalised. Protocols show different polymers react differently. For example: PET Bottles recommendation is 70°C – 90°C. For flexibles, both PP and PE, the recommendation is 40°C.

This instruction was removed from RAM v1.1

However, outstanding queries as yet unanswered by DEFRA include;

Flexible

–              Specific barrier layers (SiOx, AlOx etc.) removed from ‘red’ list. Although OK in small quantities, this omission may result in higher quantity used, which the recycling industry may find difficult to cope with. The list of barrier layers needs some research but should be re-introduced, possibly as ‘Amber’ with a note concerning maximum quantity.

–              Polyolefin film – minimum 80% PO mono- reduced from minimum 90% PO mono. “Any….. below this threshold are classified as red.” No indication of the % required for classifying as ‘green’ or classifying as ‘amber’

Rigid

–              ‘Inks that bleed’ removed. This is a fundamental of all recyclability guidelines. We are aware of new technology – washable inks – in development; is this the reason?

Conclusion

We are unsure where DEFRA obtained information to make some of the changes. This obviously did not come from the recycling industry.

RECOUP remain open to discussion with DEFRA regarding the queries above. We talk with both The BPF and OPRL regularly to ensure we are in agreement.

Recyclability Guidelines

The RAM does not replace recyclability guidelines. The RAM was written as an instrument to enable fees to be charged for packaging.

RBD is produced by talking to members; and accept the advice from recyclers on what happens now. This is what makes it different to other instruments which look at what might happen with new ‘state of the art’ equipment in a few years.

For any help or advice please contact Paul East at paul.east@recoup.org

RECOUP officially launches the Seabin in Peterborough!

On Tuesday 11^th February, our Seabin was officially launched by the Mayor of Peterborough, Marco Cereste, on the River Nene at the RailWorld Wildlife Haven.

It was attended by guests from the Peterborough Little Wombles, the City Council, representative for the local MP, Sam Carling, and by one of the funders and RECOUP member, Viridor.

Steve Morgan appeared on live radio on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and gave interviews for BBC Look East and Peterborough Telegraph.

The Seabin is part of RECOUP’s Litter Composition & Pathways Project, which is looking at using different approaches and technologies to understand the composition of litter, by building a comprehensive litter composition data set with the aim to provide evidence-based interventions to reduce litter pollution.

The focus of the project has been to analyse land-based litter, and the Seabin activity focusses on litter in an aquatic environment.

A Seabin is a floating bin that sits just below the water surface. It has a pump that draws in the water from a large radius which skims material off the top of the surface of the water and recovers it before it sinks.

There are two aims for the Seabin activity. One is to remove litter material at source, but another is to analyse the recovered material to understand what’s in it, including the presence of microplastics.

Guests were able to see the Seabin on the jetty and take part in a litter pick around the Seabin’s location to help clean up the local area.

We would like to thank all the guests for joining us on a cold and rainy morning to celebrate the launch, and for funding from Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT) and RECOUP members Viridor, McDonalds and Ocado, to make it happen.

The Peterborough Telegraph article is here

RECOUP UK Plastic Packaging Collection Survey Outlines “Monumental” Challenge

Plastic resource efficiency and recycling charity, RECOUP, has launched its annual UK Household Plastic Packaging Collection Survey, which has outlined the monumental scale of the challenge ahead.

Whilst there have been incremental improvements across the board for kerbside service provision for plastic packaging, the scale to include other formats in collection services in a relatively short timescale is unprecedented, but one that is entirely achievable with the right drive, funding, planning and leadership.

With all UK local authorities collecting plastic bottles as part of their kerbside service in 2019, local authorities providing kerbside service provision for plastic pots, tubs and trays increased from 88% to 89% and 12% to 14% for plastic films and flexibles, the first increase after 6 consecutive years of decline. This means another 39 local authorities need to collect plastic pots, tubs and trays and 312 for plastic films and flexibles by March 2027 to comply with requirements – just over 2 years away.

Consistency of Inconsistency in Citizen Communications

Effective communications to citizens are an essential part of this process, and whilst local authorities are making significant efforts – 60% reporting they have an ongoing or continuous citizen communication campaign about plastic packaging recycling – packaging EPR funding needs to strengthen the resources to delivery these campaigns. The 2024 Survey found local authorities reported an average material reject rate of 14%, and helping to deal with issues such as contamination will be pivotal.

However, although Simpler Recycling in England and similar approaches in other nations will provide consistency of what can be placed for recycling, the 2024 Survey found there is a comprehensive inconsistency in messaging across the UK, both in the language used and instructions given.

For example, when looking at plastic bottle lids, 40% of local authorities ask for citizens to leave lids on bottles but 13% ask for them to be left off. 12% listed lids as separate target items, however, did not specify if they should be left on the bottle or not, 5% said that they can be either on or off the bottle, and the remaining 30% do not provide any guidance.

Other examples of instructions to residents will need to be adjusted to fit new policy requirements. 54% of local authorities ask for plastic bottles to be flattened or squashed, but with a DRS planned to be implemented in October 2027, this message might cause confusion as it is likely plastic bottles shouldn’t be presented in this way in a deposit return system.

The biggest common message is 85% specifying that items should be empty, rinsed and/or washed, with 53% asking for items to be disposed of loose and not bagged.

Steve Morgan, Head of Policy & Infrastructure at RECOUP, said: “Whereas the different instructions need to reflect local sorting and processing requirements, it’s in the benefits of consumers and all stakeholders to have simple, consistent national communications messages about how to present plastics for recycling. Packaging EPR and Deposit Return Schemes, through their respective Scheme Administrator and Deposit Management Organisation leadership, should build on the requirements of Simpler Recycling and provide the foundations and influence to enable one unified core set of messages about how to recycle.”.

Impact of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)

Another key finding around communications in the 2024 RECOUP Survey wasn’t to residents but around local authority funding. With the focus on packaging EPR to provide the funding to collect and sort packaging, the impact of another policy needs greater awareness and urgent and robust plans to mitigate its impact.

The ETS is a market-driven mechanism that limits the emissions an involved industry is allowed to produce, with the intention to incentivise the development and uptake of decarbonisation technologies or practices to reduce emissions. The scheme is expanding to include waste incineration and energy from waste from 2028, preceded by a 2-year transitional period from 2026, and will significantly impact the dynamics of local authority funding. To reduce this impact, removing plastic packaging from residual waste will be key.

The 2024 RECOUP Survey found that around a third of local authorities (32%) said they were not aware of the upcoming expansion of ETS and its impact on incineration and energy recovery of local authority waste. Furthermore, when asked how prepared they felt for the changes to ETS on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being not prepared at all, and 10 being fully prepared), 37% gave a score of 3 or below, indicating they do not feel confident about how it will operate. Only 12% gave a 7 or higher with no local authorities giving a score of 10.

The 2024 RECOUP UK Household Plastic Packaging Collection Survey report is available for RECOUP members to download, with the Data Summary available for non-members here.

RECOUP Updates Recyclability by Design Guidelines Amid Rising Compliance Costs and Financial Impact of Extended Producer Responsibility

Following its original release in 2006, RECOUP, the UK’s leading independent authority and trusted voice on plastics resource efficiency and recycling, has regularly updated its flagship publication, Recyclability by Design (RBD). The latest update comes at a critical time for packaging recyclability with the impending increase of compliance costs associated with Extended Producer Responsibility. There is now a positive financial driver to make packaging fully recyclable and to progress circular economy ambitions. The financial implications of not adhering to recyclability standards, such as those set out by RECOUP, will significantly increase compliance costs and lowers organisations’ sustainability credentials.

RECOUP’s Head of Packaging Recycling and Design, Paul East, commented; “RBD is a reminder of the importance of designing for recycling, when making decisions, as well as for marketing and brand recognition. By using the recommendations within RBD, you will be ensuring that your plastic packaging is given the best chance to be recycled in line with upcoming legislation.”

RECOUP has worked tirelessly to promote the core principles and good practice in pack design that give plastics packaging a greater chance of being recycled within the existing UK infrastructure, with RBD offering guidelines to help Packaging Technologists and Buyers ensure that their plastic is presented in the best way possible to the recycling chain.

There are continuous changes to recycling processes technology, and innovation continues in the packaging industry to help alleviate some of the challenges faced by recyclers.  With valuable contributions from RECOUP members and colleagues from across the industry, RBD is agile and is continuously reviewed and updated to reflect these changes, including updated polymer-specific recyclability tables.

The updated Recyclability by Design guidance is available to view on the RECOUP website.