The Recycling Bags assist the customer to:

• Address the issue of packaging waste in the environment
• Help reduce their medium – long term packaging costs by c. 29%

The EC Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste 94/62/EC affects most businesses as it has set a recycling target of 55 - 70%, with aims by weight per material of 60% for glass, 55% for paper/board, 50% for metals and 20% for plastics.

Hydropac is working on helping customers comply with the Directive in two ways, firstly by manufacturing all its products from 100% recyclable material and secondly by providing dedicated “post-it back” Recycling Bags for the return of the Insulated Foam Liners.

How does it work?

Every time our customers send out food shipments they use Hydropac’s white outer boxes (printed or plain), Insulated Foam Liners and Ice Sheets. All are fully recyclable and the Insulated Foam Liners can be reused.

If every order has a Hydropac “post-it back” Recycling Bag enclosed, then the end-user could send back the Hydropac Foam Liners for many repeat uses – in fact, the Foam Liners are virtually indestructible.

Those customers that encourage end-users to recycle their Hydropac Foam Liners can save on their packaging costs – it means, of course, less business in the long term for Hydropac, but as part of its commitment to the environment, this is more than outweighed by creating valuable customer relationships.

Cost Saving Example

The following example is based on 1000 units of a 20Kg shipper, which costs the customer £3.88 per unit, or £3,888.

To save money the customer could encourage its end user to recycle the Foam Liner, reducing the number purchased long term. This example is based on 5 recycling turns; it is possible for a greater number of reuses depending on product integrity and therefore greater savings. The equivalent cost per unit reduces to £2.77, a 29% saving.