Changing the colour of recycling

We will extend the life of plastics

We are in the process of removing non-recyclable materials from all of our products. We are developing a strategy for each material type and identifying substitutions for those difficult to recycle, as well as transitioning the remaining products that use carbon black to detectable colours.

Consumers are increasingly aware that a lot of black plastic cannot be recycled. This is due to its carbon black pigment, which cannot be detected by near-infrared sensors currently used in recycling sorting streams – preventing the loop from being fully closed.

At Robinson, we have been working with customers and suppliers to replace the carbon black used in our packaging with detectable colours to help in onward recycling, all without reducing the functionality or performance of the packaging.

Our detectable colours have been and continue to be successfully and independently trialled and tested by recycling experts coordinated by RECOUP. We are currently on track to achieve our commitment to fully remove carbon black from our products by the end of 2021.