TENNENT’S is poised to remove 100 million plastic rings from its lager cans by 2022 following a £7 million investment in packaging equipment at Wellpark Brewery in Glasgow.
The drinks giant aims to eradicate 150 tonnes of plastic from Tennent’s Lager can packs, with work expected to complete in spring 2021, when the brewer will be able to produce up to 120,000 cans per hour, packaged in fully recyclable cardboard.
Tennent’s revealed the new packaging area will remove all plastic packaging from Tennent’s Lager can formats for the first time in more than 40 years.
Martin Doogan, group engineering manager at C&C Group plc, Tennent’s parent company, said, “Sustainability is at the core of our business and we will always look for ways to innovate and minimise our impact on the environment to play our part in tackling the climate crisis. Today’s announcement is the latest step as we work towards our 2022 goal of eliminating single use plastic from our consumer packaging and our ongoing commitment to environmental best practice in everything we do.
“As part of our commitments around plastics, we continue to be the only brewer who is a member of the UK Plastics Pact, which guides our initiatives and sets stringent additional targets on plastic packaging, waste and recyclates.
“Together with our new carbon recapture facility and the anaerobic digestion plant, we are well on ourway to achieving our pledge to make Wellpark net carbon zero.”
Roseanna Cunningham, Scotland’s environment secretary, commented, “Plastic waste, much of it single-use, is not only wasteful but generates litter that is hugely damaging for our oceans, rivers and ecosystems. By acting now to reduce our reliance on single-use plastic and moves towards more sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives, we can turn the tide. This, of course, is not only the responsibility of government and individuals but manufacturers and businesses too.
“That is why I very much welcome this investment by Tennent Caledonian and their continued efforts as part of the UK Plastics Pact. By taking action which supports the environment, such as switching from single use plastics and taking steps to becoming carbon neutral, businesses can help build a more circular economy.”
Terry A’Hearn, CEO at Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), added, “Across the world, corporates, communities and consumers are clear on the need for urgent climate action. In Scotland, iconic brands like Tennent’s are transforming their business models to grasp this climate of opportunity and show bold leadership towards one planet prosperity.”
Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, said, “The time for responsible consumption of our earth’s natural resources is now. Currently, a lot ofenergy goes into making products only for them to be thrown out after just one use. This not only drives up emissions but also affects other environmental factors, such as water scarcity and land use.
“With COP26 coming up later this year, Scottish businesses, like Tennent’s, can be champions for a greener, fairer economy by improving the circularity of their products. If materials can’t be removed, brands can make sure their customers can reuse or, as a last resort, recycle their products locally.”
