A Welsh plastics firm is developing technology which could save thousands of tonnes of waste from being sent to landfill. At present most black plastic used in the food industry for packaging is not recycled because it goes undetected by scanners. Now Bedwas-based Colour Tone Masterbatch has come up with a black product which can be detected by scanners and is cost-effective. It could mean tonnes of waste which has been historically been sent to landfill or for incineration can be recycled instead.
Black plastic tends to be used by food manufacturers for their product because it makes it more attractive for consumers. But that has often come at an environmental cost, with the Local Government Association warning that of the 525,000 tonnes of plastic food products being used in UK households every year, only 169,000 tonnes can be recycled. As most black plastics packaging featured carbon black and pigments that absorb infrared light, this rendered them invisible to scanning technology.
Simon Atteby, general manager at Colour Tone Masterbatch, explained that changing the pigment – removing carbon and replacing it with several other pigments to make black – in the product means the black plastic the firm produces can be detected when it is being sorted in recycling plants. The double benefit is that unlike lighter plastics, other coloured plastics can be recycled into black plastic, making it more sustainable than food containers in lighter shades. Mr Atteby has been leading Colour Tone’s work with the Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP), the Welsh Government’s business development scheme which looks to provide assistance and advice for firms wanting to expand. The work with AGP has helped Colour Tone – which employs 50 people and has a turnover of around £5.5m – in identifying potential for growth, particularly in overseas markets, after it went through an acquisition in 2017.
Mr Atteby said the product, which has been in development since 2010, has huge potential. Initially the technology was too costly for supermarkets but Colour Tone has found a way to reduce the costs in its black plastic. He said: “This is something which has been developed locally by a relatively small SME and this is technology which could be adopted and have an impact on something which is receiving so much attention and is a public issue.”
The uptake on the product is still slow, with consumers being confused by messages on the sustainability of black plastics. “The consumer has started to think that black plastic is not recyclable, but that is not true – in fact black is very sustainable in that it can use other recycled plastics in it and it can be recycled at end-of-life,” said Mr Atteby. It means an exciting future for the firm with potential for more growth and jobs being created in Wales. “The business’ growth could be huge – it could be at least a 30% increase in output and furthermore, because it’s quite an expensive product, at least £1.6m on our turnover. We would very much like Wales to recognise us and our work as an SME in Caerphilly.”
Colour Tone received support from Andy Bird via the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme, to provide support with export sales, recruitment, staff development and process improvement. Mr Atteby said the AGP help has provide much-needed help and expertise for the company to grow and exploit its expertise and quality products. “We have concentrated very much on looking at our unique selling points and taking things back to basics,” said Mr Atteby. “Fundamentally, we’ve been looking at selling points of the business. We’ve looked at agency sales, bringing in new foreign agents and looking at producing a new manufacturing area which has allowed us to expand in one particular product area.”
David Notley of the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme, said “Colour Tone is an ambitious business, and we have been delighted to be able help the firm as it looks to a future with vision and confidence. I would encourage businesses in Wales with strong ambitions to grow and expand to explore whether the Accelerated Growth Programme can help them too.”
Further information on the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme.