Recycled plastic is our main raw material
For us, the development of a circular economy for plastics is important. We invest in production equipment, processes and product development in the name of this mission.
We have developed up to 100% recycled plastic bags and sacks that have been brouhgt up to the level of virgin plastic products. This requires expertise and development work, as virgin plastic is inherently flexible, which is not automatically the case with recycled plastic regranulates mass.
We are also a member company of the Rinki Packaging Recycling System through our producer responsibility membership of the Finnish Packaging Producers Ltd.
0% waste plastic in our production
At Merikarvia, we have our own plastic recycling equipment, which means that no waste plastic or waste is generated in our production. This means that all production side streams and plastic waste can be recycled back into raw material, i.e. granulate, through the recycling equipment.
Remember to recycle plastic packaging
It is important for both households and businesses to improve the recycling of plastic waste. The recycling rate of plastic in Finland is not high enough (about 30%). The target set by the EU is 50% in 2025*, and in fact, from 2021 onwards, we will pay the price for a poor recycling rate in our membership fees. In 2022, we paid around €60 million in payments to the EU for non-recycled plastic packaging.**
As we recycle plastic at an increasing percentage, we can work together to create a sustainable cycle where each part affects the other. Companies are constantly developing new products and applications for plastics, and only through cooperation can we grow the circular economy even better and thorough.
We are a member of the Finnish Packaging Producers Ltd producer organisation
Finnish Packaging Producers Ltd is a non-profit organisation responsible for the collection and recycling of cardboard and paper packaging, glass packaging, metal packaging, plastic packaging and wooden packaging in Finland. The producer organisation is responsible for the collection and recycling of packaging and other statutory obligations.
Rinki is a service company established and owned by Finnish industry and commerce, which takes care of the collection of companies’ packaging data, a network of eco take-back points for consumers and sorting advice on behalf of producer organisations. Rinki’s website has a good and extensive Frequently Asked Questions about Producer Responsibility section, which is worth checking out.
The authority supervising producer responsibility is the Pirkanmaa ELY Centre
Producer responsibility under management
We take responsibility for the recycling of packaging and the environment – Read more about producer responsibility here.
Sources:
*Plastic waste and recycling in EU: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/fi/article/20181212STO21610/muovijate-ja-kierratys-eu-ssa
**Yle: Poor packaging plastic recycling costs Finland tens of million euros annually: https://yle.fi/a/74-20092140