Plastic and Waste Reduction... how are we tackling this?

We all know that plastic is a massive problem particularly for our oceans, our aquatic life and eventually every single species on this earth.  The time is NOW to do something about it, and we have been putting things in place over the last few years to try to reduce the amount of plastic we're distributing. In the UK, it is estimated that plastic packaging will make up 67% of plastic waste by 2030. With just 46% of this currently being recycled, we all have a responsibility to improve our management of plastic.

Its fair to say that in recent years we have all become more aware of the impact our choices make on the planet, and some of us are changing the way we shop; the buying team here at Astral are no different.  This has led to a range of innovations in packaging and materials in every industry and cleaning is no different. It has become increasingly clear that we need to reduce our dependency on this material and make sure the plastic we do use is properly collected and recycled. At Astral Hygiene we are taking various steps to provide options to our customers, so that they can choose which prodcts they want, and in what kind of vessel they want to recieve these in.  We still provide 5ltr plastic containers, but we also provide bag in box (almost like a box of wine) and super concentrated chemicals.  We are also preparing to take part in a pilot programme to return used 5ltr plastic containers to be used again. 

Plastic is an incredibly versatile material, able to be both rigid and flexible and provide lightweight protection to a range of products. However, plastic is made using fossil fuels and when it is not managed properly, it ends up in the environment where it will stay for millions of years. In 2019 alone, 368 million tons for plastic were produced worldwide, adding to the 9.2 billion tons produced since 1950. Much of this plastic still exists in some form to this day.

Within all of our chemical ranges we aim to reduce the use of virgin plastic, encourage uptake of reusable bottles and reduce transport emissions.

Our Jeyes products include number of concentrated cleaning options suitable for a multitude of building areas. By choosing a 2 litre super concentrate over an equivalent 750ml ready-to-use trigger spray, you can save up to 33kg of plastic and reduce transport emissions by up to 98%!

In addition to this, we have also eliminated plastic packaging in most our paper ranges and move more of the production to UK manufacturers to reduce supply chain emissions. We now supply EU Eco-label paper as standard, this means the way in which this paper is manufactured, transported, the raw materials and the forests used have all been tested for sustainability and environmental economy compliance. 

These are just a handful of ways we can help you reduce your plastic use and your environmental impact. At Astral Hygiene we are also striving to reduce our carbon emissions through low emissions vehicles, installing LEDs throughout our service centres and reusing packaging. We can now work with you to find sustainable alternatives that suit your needs and report on the carbon emissions associated with your deliveries so we can work together towards a sustainable supply chain.