The global brewing giant Carlsberg wants to replace the very familiar plastic can holders with recyclable glue. The plastic can holders are used for lager and beer multipacks.
A new “snap pack” is slated to be introduced by the Danish brewer in a phased manner of replacement of plastic in a first of its kind of effort in the world in the beer industry. The company claims that this measure would help to achieve a reduction of as much as 76 per cent in the amount of plastic that is used in traditional multi-packs.
Known in the beer industry as hi-cones or yokes, the plastic pack rings are essentially connected plastic rings that are used to keep together a pack of multiple bottles of beer and other canned drinks. This device which has been used by the beer industry for over 50 years now, has been accused of adding on to the increasing ocean pollution because of plastic waste and a grave threat to marine biological life.
The company would launch the new cans from September 10 in the Tesco chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and then later introduce them in Norway
The new system would comprise of tiny blobs of a strong glue to hold four, or six, or eight beer cans together in packets. The glue itself has been developed so that it is able to withstand a wide range of temperatures while they are in storage or in transportation or after they are refrigerated at home of consumers. There would be an audible snap when the cans would be opened and the glue that is used is completely recyclable together with the aluminum of the cans.
Carlsberg Export would be the first company brand to use the new system in the UK. The company however plans to eventually replace the plastic with the glue in all of its drinks portfolio which includes brands such as Tuborg and San Miguel.
This measure would help in the reduction of about 1,200 tonnes of plastic globally every year, the company claims, which is the same as 60 million plastic bags.
Environmental degradation because of plastic is now a very contentious issue globally and a number of very large and significant studies have been conducted to illustrate the extent of threat of marine life from plastic waste generated by humans.
“This is an interesting development and will help cut down the amount of plastic on our beaches and in our seas. These kinds of can yokes are regularly found in small numbers on our beach cleans,” said Dr Sue Kinsey, senior pollution policy officer with the Marine Conservation Society, UK.
(Source:www.skynews.com)
A new “snap pack” is slated to be introduced by the Danish brewer in a phased manner of replacement of plastic in a first of its kind of effort in the world in the beer industry. The company claims that this measure would help to achieve a reduction of as much as 76 per cent in the amount of plastic that is used in traditional multi-packs.
Known in the beer industry as hi-cones or yokes, the plastic pack rings are essentially connected plastic rings that are used to keep together a pack of multiple bottles of beer and other canned drinks. This device which has been used by the beer industry for over 50 years now, has been accused of adding on to the increasing ocean pollution because of plastic waste and a grave threat to marine biological life.
The company would launch the new cans from September 10 in the Tesco chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom and then later introduce them in Norway
The new system would comprise of tiny blobs of a strong glue to hold four, or six, or eight beer cans together in packets. The glue itself has been developed so that it is able to withstand a wide range of temperatures while they are in storage or in transportation or after they are refrigerated at home of consumers. There would be an audible snap when the cans would be opened and the glue that is used is completely recyclable together with the aluminum of the cans.
Carlsberg Export would be the first company brand to use the new system in the UK. The company however plans to eventually replace the plastic with the glue in all of its drinks portfolio which includes brands such as Tuborg and San Miguel.
This measure would help in the reduction of about 1,200 tonnes of plastic globally every year, the company claims, which is the same as 60 million plastic bags.
Environmental degradation because of plastic is now a very contentious issue globally and a number of very large and significant studies have been conducted to illustrate the extent of threat of marine life from plastic waste generated by humans.
“This is an interesting development and will help cut down the amount of plastic on our beaches and in our seas. These kinds of can yokes are regularly found in small numbers on our beach cleans,” said Dr Sue Kinsey, senior pollution policy officer with the Marine Conservation Society, UK.
(Source:www.skynews.com)