Berry Plastics and Preserve form partnership in recycling

Berry Plastics Group, Inc., a leading global manufacturer and marketer of value-added plastic packaging, announced the launch of a marketing partnership with Preserve?, a leading producer of sustainable consumer goods with a focus on creating closed loop products using recycled plastic. As highlighted in the companies’ video, the partnership will focus on enhancing the awareness of the recyclability of #5 plastic and of Preserve’s Gimme 5 program.

Number 5 plastic, or polypropylene by its technical name, is a commonly used material for items consumers use every day such as yogurt cups, butter tubs, and plastic cold drink cups.

Preserve Gimme 5 is a consumer-powered recycling program that provides expanded recycling options for #5 plastics. Through the company’s Gimme 5 program, individuals have two ways to take part in #5 plastic recycling: place their #5 plastic in specified recycling bins at participating retail locations or mail directly to Preserve. In turn, Preserve collects the #5 plastic, sorts it, cleans it, tests it, recycles it, and turns it into new Preserve products.

“The avenues available for recycling polypropylene have steadily increased through recent years, with more than 62% of Americans now having access to at least one such alternative. Even though recycling venues have increased, at Berry Plastics we believe it is prudent to do our part to encourage recycling and to promote the available recycling avenues,” said Jon Rich Chairman and CEO of Berry Plastics. “For this reason, we are extremely excited to partner with Preserve to increase the awareness of their Gimme 5 program and the opportunity it creates to help educate the public on a viable second life for our products.”

Berry Plastics is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of plastic packaging, plastic film products, specialty adhesives, and coated products. With over 13,000 customers and over 50,000 package skus, #5 plastic is the substrate most often used by the Company. Berry Plastics’ crown logo is an easy identifier of a package made by the Company.

Berry Plastics joins other Preserve Gimme 5 partners Stonyfield, Brita, and Burt’s Bees to support a closed loop recycling system in which recyclable packages and products are collected and remanufactured into new products like Preserve? toothbrushes and razors. Since 2008, Gimme 5 participants have dropped off more than 250 tons of recycled yogurt cups, butter and cottage cheese containers and other #5 plastic packages at the more than 245 Whole Foods Market stores and select independent cooperative markets across the United States.