Firm developing 250 food packaging collection systems for Tallinn and Tartu
An Estonian firm is developing a reusable packaging recycling system in Tallinn and Tartu, with collection stations – which can be used by businesses as well as private consumers – planned to number 250.
The project is being supported by a grant from the Environmental Investment Center (KIK), BNS reports.
Bringpack, the company behind the initiative, says it aims to provide solutions for replacing single-use food packaging with reusable food packaging, using an automated package collecting machine which has also been developed by an Estonian start-up company.
Bringpack was founded by Estonian entrepreneurs Rasmus Rask and Priit Mikelsaar, who are also behind organic ice cream brand La Muu.
The company produces disposable tableware, while the disposal points bring consumer confidence in where the discarded packaging is going, rather than with plastic or glass recycling stations, for instance, where the destination of the refuse is not always clear.
Restaurants, and other eateries, that want to make their food serving cycle as environmentally friendly as possible can utilize the Bringpack service.
A Bringpack pilot project using its automated systems has also been trialed at the Balti Jaam market and at the Patarei fortress, both in Tallinn, where the products were used over 35,000 times, the company says.
The KIK funding component comes to €115,000.
100-120 collecting machines in Tallinn and Tartu are aimed for autumn 2022, with the total target of 250 collecting machines to contribute to a network in the next two years which should make circular packaging convenient and a daily norm for all, Bringback says.
The footprint of reusable packaging is smaller than that of a disposable packaging if it is circulated at least 10 times, while Bringpack packages are circulated 40-50 times, the firm says.
The automated collecting machines are developed by Cuploop, also an Estonian startup.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Andrew Whyte