Shower Firm Moves To Cut Plastic Waste

Lakes, a manufacturer of showering spaces, has introduced new fully-recyclable packaging, designed to reduce its impact on the environment. Lakes’ new product packaging is now 100% eco-friendly. It also extends to 100% recycling of all product waste, primarily glass and aluminium, and of all recyclable site and office waste.

The improved packaging alone will remove approximately 2000 kilometres of banding a year from landfill, and nearly two million pieces of polystyrene.

The announcement follows the statistics in the January 2019 Bathroom Manufacturers Association (BMA) report, which reported that 44.3% of plastic consumption in the UK is used in packaging – the main recyclable material in the bathroom industry. Packaging is a main target for reducing plastic waste, or ensuring it is recycled responsibly. Considering that 82% of paper or cardboard is currently recycled, there is some way to go to ensure plastic waste catches up.

Mick Evans, Lakes Operations Director, says: “The increasing threat of climate change is a daily reminder that we need to change how we operate as businesses and consumers. We are extremely pleased with this outcome following many months of research and development to improve our packaging in a practical sense, for easier safe handling, and very importantly in reducing the impact on the environment. We hope other manufacturers follow our lead with this.

“We are also working to significantly reduce our overall carbon footprint in 2019 by supporting UK carbon offset projects and Carbon Trust initiatives. It’s an exciting journey in more ways than one, so look out for more updates soon!”