INEOS , LACTEL Team up to Make HDPE Milk Bottles

INEOS and LACTEL have recently announced a joint venture on making advanced recycling packaging for dairy products.

As per the officials of these two companies, LACTEL is the first dairy brand, in partnership with INEOS, to explore a solution for Ultra-high-temperature (UHT) milk bottles manufactured with the polyethylene that is sourced from post-consumer recycled material.

In this case, advanced recycling technology will be espoused to convert waste plastic back to its fundamental molecules, which will then be utilized at INEOS production sites to incorporate recycled contents and substitute traditional fossil-based raw materials, a marvel technology within itself.

Anne Charles-Pinault, Lactel’s general manager for France stated- “This trial production of 140,000 milk bottles, based on High-density Polyetylene (HDPE) from advanced recycling technology is a world first and a major step forward for Lactel towards a circular economy”.

“This new innovative product will be used in the Montauban production plant for an initial production run. At Lactel we are extremely excited to bring this new environmental innovation to our iconic milk bottles” added Anne.

Xavi Cros, CEO at INEOS Olefins & Polymers Europe/South apprised- “INEOS is very pleased to progress this partnership with Lactel. Both companies are committed to sustainability and, via advanced recycling, we are able to supply virgin quality polymer from recycled plastic that is ideal for even the most demanding food contact applications like milk. This is another big step in the right direction.”

After an independent certification process that was started a few months back, Lactel’s Montauban plant was victoriously Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) certified this April 2021. The milk bottles manufactured in this way are reportedly in compliance with the food safety norms and are completely recyclable once again.