News

New: Flower sleeves with 70% Ocean Bound Plastic

04 november 2024

As part of Argos' business strategy and changing laws and regulations, Argos Packaging & Protection set out to find a sustainable alternative to the traditional plastic flower and plant sleeve. Their search culminated in a sleeve made from Ocean Bound Plastic (OBP), plastic collected from areas close to the ocean such as beaches, riverbanks and coastal communities that would otherwise likely have ended up in the ocean. Currently, Argos already supplies OBP shipping bags, and they hope to soon produce large volumes of OBP sleeves for flowers and plants. We spoke to Lars Zwinkels and Miquel van den Ende from Argos to find out more about this product.

Changing regulations and circular economy

By developing the OBP sleeves, Argos wants to respond to upcoming European legislation: ‘Think, for instance, of sustainability legislation requiring companies to indicate in CSRD reports, among other things, how they can reduce their CO2 footprint. Or the PPWR packaging legislation currently in the pipeline, which will eventually require companies to use more recycled material in packaging. Using materials such as OBP can help companies meet these requirements.’

‘The OBP that Argos uses for the sleeves is collected in Southeast Asia, there it is recycled into certified granulate by our partner Pollast!c, and we then process it into sleeves. Because this whole process is carried out locally, it helps to reduce CO2 emissions,’ the men explain. In addition, they stress that the use of new materials is also part of Argos' business strategy, which focuses on the circular economy. ‘By reusing raw materials such as OBP, these covers contribute to the circularity of the chain and reduce the need for ‘virgin plastic’.’

Recognistion and certification

Lars and Miquel expect that there will be a lot of interest in the sleeve. Not only because the sleeve meets all requirements in terms of laws and regulations, but also because it is a certified product that is easily recognised by consumers. ‘The sleeve contains 70% OBP, has the same appearance as the traditional sleeve, but the film is less clear and therefore easily recognisable. Besides, you can't just claim to be using OBP, this requires certification. Pollast!c is OBP-certified and also meets the Global Recycle Standard (GRS) and the B-Corp standards. In short, the OBP cover captures the imagination of the whole chain.’



From tomorrow at the Trade Fair in Aalsmeer, the floriculture sector can get to know the Argos sleeve that will soon be available for delivery throughout Europe. You can find Argos Packaging & Protection in stand 1.35.

Source: Bloemen- en plantennieuws