MAKING
A MOVE
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the industry, but also to the wider
Riverland economy and community.
The Riverland is the engine room
of the state’s citrus industry and
growers continue to provide an
outstanding premium product to
meet our overseas market demand.
The navel season typically runs from
May to September in the Riverland
but premium Washington navels
are generally picked from June
until August, peaking in mid-July.
Australian citrus exports totalled
273,232 tonnes last year at a value
of $462 million. This represents a
19% growth in volume and a 32%
growth in value. About 71,000
tonnes of this – more than a quarter
— goes to China.
Pact Group subsidiary Alto
Packaging has announced the
launch of the new 750ml and
1.5 litre milk bottles made
from 100% recycled plastic
polyethylene terephthalate for
client Lewis Road. Managing
director and chief executive
Malcolm Bundey says his
company is proud to design
and manufacture the bottles,
which will assist Lewis Road
to become New Zealand’s
first milk producer to switch
to using entirely recycled
materials. “Sustainability
lies at the heart of Pact Alto
Group’s vision – to enrich lives
everyday through sustainable
packaging solutions,” Bundey
says. “We are embracing the
drive toward a circular economy
for plastics because it helps
demonstrate our overarching
commitment to sustainable
materials management.” Lewis
Road founder Peter Cullinane
says his company wants to
take responsibility for the dairy
industry’s plastic problems,
and is the first milk producer
to change to a system where
no new plastic is created to
produce the bottles. The switch
will save approximately 210
tonnes of plastic being made
and imported into New Zealand
each year. “We love fresh milk,
but not fresh plastic,” he says.
“We believe bottles that require
no new plastic are a great step.
And we’re closely assessing the
feasibility of other options too,
including glass. Longer term,
we believe the answer will be a
mix of solutions including both
rPet and glass. The good news
is that we can take this big step
immediately and then keep
going.”
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