Refillable bottles are effectively recycled in Finland - recycling rate 98.7%
Press release 23 June 2004
Refillable bottles are effectively recycled in Finland - recycling rate 98.7%
Practically all refillable bottles are returned to recycling points in Finland. According to a report that has just been submitted to the Ministry of the Environment, the recycling rate in 2003 was 98.7%. The brewing and soft drinks industry has reported annually to the Ministry of the Environment, which monitors the effectiveness of the recycling system.
"Thanks are due to Finland's responsible consumers, who are excellent recyclers," says Director Risto Saarinen of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry. "Finland's recycling rate is among the highest in the world and as a result refillable bottles are the environmentally friendliest form of packaging for beverages." There is still room for improvement. "Unfortunately there will always be a few people who don't care about the environment or about the consequences of broken glass in nature," Saarinen notes. The best package for beer is a brown glass bottle, since beer does not retain its best taste sufficiently in a plastic bottle. The industry is constantly striving to develop new forms of packaging, however.
The idea of increasing bottle deposits has been discussed. "Deposits should be kept at the same level as the procurement price, since a higher level could lead to large-scale speculation," insists Pasi Nurminen, the managing director of the association responsible for the bottle recycling system. "Otherwise it would be possible to get more by returning new bottles than they cost to begin with."
As the holiday season begins, it is important to remember that empty bottles and crates should be returned as soon as possible so that they can be refilled. Summer is the high season for the brewing and soft drinks industry, which needs a steady supply of bottles. About 315 million refillable glass and plastic bottles circulate in the system. This has been optimized to ensure a suitable supply of bottles for all brewers and soft drink suppliers.
The Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry reported to the Ministry of the Environment for the last time. The new association Ekopullo that was established in April to administer the system will report on the recycling rate from now on. The association will assume full responsibility for bottle recycling this autumn.
Most of the main companies in the industry, large and small, participate in the bottle recycling system administered by the association: Finn Spring Oy, Oy Hartwall Ab, Oy Mallaskoski Ab, Nokian Panimo Oy, Olvi Oyj, Pramia Oy, Pullokas Oy, Oy Sinebrychoff Ab, VIP Juicemaker Oy and the Association of Small Breweries. Retailers also participate actively in the system.
Additional information:
Communications Manager Katri Tuulensuu, tel. +358 (0)9 1488 7601, GSM +358 (0)40 777 1938
Managing Director Risto Saarinen, tel. +358 (0)9 1488 71
The Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry promotes the interests of producers of beer, cider, long drinks, soft drinks and mineral waters in Finland. Its members are Oy Hartwall Ab, Nokian Panimo Oy, Olvi Oyj and Oy Sinebrychoff Ab. The Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry operates in connection with the Finnish Food and Drink Industries' Federation and is among the three largest industries in the food and drink branch in terms of the value of production.
