Unilever Australia & New Zealand today announced they will be introducing at least 25% Australian sourced post-consumer recycled HDPE plastic to the bottles of its major brands, including Dove, Sunsilk and TRESemmé.
The move will create a new life and end market for approximately 750 tonnes of recycled plastic per year, which is the equivalent to more than 100 million single-use plastic bags.
It is also expected to accelerate Australia’s circular economy in creating local demand for rigid plastic (such as laundry detergent and shampoo bottles) that is recycled through local council kerbside collection bins.
“We want to give Australians confidence that for each bottle of OMO, Dove, Sunsilk, Surf or TRESemmé they buy, they are giving a new lease on life to the plastic they recycle in their yellow bins. In short, this move diverts plastic away from landfill,” Clive Stiff, CEO of Unilever Australia and New Zealand said.
Unilever is set to become the first major Australian consumer goods company to make the transition from high volumes of locally recycled HDPE plastic from home and personal care brands.
In 2017, Unilever committed to create all of its plastic packaging as fully recyclable, reusable or compostable, with at least 25% recycled plastic by 2025.
The new products are expected to hit shelves in early 2019.
