Hillier Nurseries in Hampshire took delivery of its first recyclable pots last week, making it the first nursery in the UK to grow a commercially potted crop in a recyclable pot.
Hillier plants will be the first product through any UK retailer to be available in a kerbside recyclable pot giving customers a environmentally friendly option.
Currently 76 per cent of Local Authorities collect pots, tubs and trays as part of their kerbside recycling schemes but not many collect the black plant pots.
Current black plastic pots cannot be recycled as the pots contain carbon black pigment which absorbs Infra-Red from detection systems, hindering recycling.
The new pot will use a carbon black pigment free polypropylene allowing it to be recyclable.
Hillier
The company says it constantly strives to explore sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic and the new taupe kerbside recyclable plant pot will be used across the entire Hillier wholesale nursery business, replacing the old black plastic pot.
“This is a real breakthrough in the industry and we are delighted to be the leading the way as the first UK nursery to commercially use the new taupe recyclable pot,” said Chris Francis, Hillier Garden Centres and Wholesale Nurseries Director.
“Hillier has always been a pioneer within horticulture and the introduction of the new kerbside recyclable plant pot throughout our Nurseries will have a considerable impact as we forge ahead towards finding sustainable solutions to this global issue.”