Plastics Sustainability
Largely, in Australia, plant pots and labels are made from PP5 plastic – a plastic that can be recycled over and over again. However, currently only 8% of this plastic found in plant pots gets recycled.
This is where we come in. We want to collect and recycle your PP5 plastic plant pots and labels and give them another plant pot life.
We Do Plastics Better | 40 Years’ Experience
In Horticulture, We Do Plastics Better! Our industry has long used the same plastic for containers and labels making them recyclable together. At GCP our current use of recycled Polypropylene (PP) is over 7million Kilograms annually. Every Australian Nursery is already a part of keeping PP out of landfill.
Almost 4 decades ago, suppliers like GCP & Norwood began partnering to use the same plastic (PP). The decision to keep the streams of packaging in our industry aligned, was made through in-depth research and sound reasoning. Many things have changed in the past 40 years but the decision to manufacture Horticulture products in PP means today, our industry is a long way further ahead of others and actually leading closed-loop recycling methods.
Caretakers of Polypropylene
Horticulture businesses all over Australia actively using Black PP are already keeping 7 Million Kg of recyclable material out of landfill every year. Our aim at GCP, is to increase our use of recycled PP for plastics, Pots and Containers targeting 10million Kg per annum. We are ready to use the PP our recyclers source from various industry members, landscape businesses or home gardeners to make pots over and over again.
What if we didn’t have PP?
If we discarded PP as our chosen container and label material in favour of another resource, such as compostable or biodegradable materials, Australia would automatically need to find landfill space for all the PP used in our industry per year. Meaning that through the use of PP plastic for pots etc, this industry’s members are already leaders in good sustainable practice. If we stopped using PP, we would have to use something less suited and less sustainable as packaging preventing finite resources from being used elsewhere.
Why Use and Recycle PP?
We already have an abundant supply of PP onshore. Our industry can lead the way in closed-loop capture and reuse of post-consumer Horticultural PP. Because PP is the main industry packaging type, GCP has been able to find efficient partners to capture and reuse this material as long as it stays free from contamination with other plastics (non PP) or biodegradables which may look the same but can create major problems when mixed with PP. This is why we continue to lead the industry in supply of manufactured recycled PP which is certain to provide good structure and successful use to growers in all container sizes.
Should I be Concerned?
No! Responsible and well informed decisions were made about plant containers in Australia over 30 years ago. PP is a reliable and well accepted recyclable plastic which is being made into flower pots over and over again as it has been for decades. At GCP we are working with many stakeholders to increase the capture and reuse of single and multiuse PP in every state of Australia.
How can I be responsible for Closed Loop PP?
“The people who make the biggest difference are the ones who do the little things consistently” ...
Every one of us as growers or consumers of Greenlife are responsible for taking small but constant steps to make a difference in the collection of post use (recycled) PP.
In your nursery, the steps are important but simple:
- knock loose media out of pots,
- stack pots tightly together and
- return them to the recycle stream free from other plastics (non-PP), contaminants or biodegradable containers.
We want to collect and recycle your PP5 plastic plant pots and labels and give them another plant pot life. All we need from you, is to find your nearest PP5 collection point and bring us your used plant pots and labels.
PP5 collection points can be found at locations Australia wide at participating suppliers and retailers.
How to recycle:
• Check: It’s clearly PP5
• Tap: Knock out excess media
• Stack: Pots together, to fit as much as possible in the cage,
labels can remain attached to pots
Once your PP5 plastic waste is collected and recycled, GCP, with industry leaders Norwood printers, create new products out of the recycled materials – and just like that, your old plant pot is a new plant pot.
GCP and Polymer Processors can also recycle used Plug Trays (PS6) with the same simple Check, Tap & Stack message. See the video below and please feel free to call your local GCP branch for any more information.
How to recycle:
• Check: It’s clearly PS6
• Tap: Knock out excess media
• Stack: On pallets
No red cages, just stack on pallets at your business and GCP will collect.
Any questions, please chat to your local GCP Sales Manager or check out our new PS6 Plug Tray Recycling video, the latest exciting development in our recycling program!
Labelling Recyclables - Check it! Before you chuck it
APCO - Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation
GCP is a signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) we work closely with APCO in assisting industry to close the loop on packaging of Horticultural Plastics.
Chemical Container Recycling - drumMUSTER
drumMUSTER provides an easy, environmentally-friendly way of disposing empty farming chemical containers across Australia.
Disposing of empty agvet chemical containers in the right way is crucial to the reputation and sustainability of the agricultural industry in Australia. By using the drumMUSTER recycling program you can turn your unwanted containers into useful, sustainable products rather than having them placed into landfill or building up on farm.
VISY Recycled Cardboard
Recycled Cardboard from VISY - For a better world
We source all of our cardboard cartons, packaging and plant transport boxes from Visy with the maximum included recycled cardboard percentage. We take care to work with Visy ensuring that recycled cardboard content increases. Together, we also ensure that each product is fit for purpose and of the right quality and standard for dependable use.
Organic Crop Protectants
GCP partners with these two organizations to convert our commercial plant health solutions to IPM and Organically integrated offers assisting growers to give consumers better Greenlife.
Garden City Plastics & Biological Services have partnered to provide biocontrol solutions to growers within the Horticulture and Ornamental industry of Australia. Growers can access biological control agents such as Predators and Parasitoids with recommendations for implementing and handling Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs within their growing systems through the collaborative work of GCP Agronomists & Biological Services IPM Consultants.
Plastics Sustainability
Largely, in Australia, plant pots and labels are made from PP5 plastic – a plastic that can be recycled over and over again. However, currently only 8% of this plastic found in plant pots gets recycled.
This is where we come in. We want to collect and recycle your PP5 plastic plant pots and labels and give them another plant pot life.
We Do Plastics Better | 40 Years’ Experience
In Horticulture, We Do Plastics Better! Our industry has long used the same plastic for containers and labels making them recyclable together. At GCP our current use of recycled Polypropylene (PP) is over 7million Kilograms annually. Every Australian Nursery is already a part of keeping PP out of landfill.
Almost 4 decades ago, suppliers like GCP & Norwood began partnering to use the same plastic (PP). The decision to keep the streams of packaging in our industry aligned, was made through in-depth research and sound reasoning. Many things have changed in the past 40 years but the decision to manufacture Horticulture products in PP means today, our industry is a long way further ahead of others and actually leading closed-loop recycling methods.
Caretakers of Polypropylene
Horticulture businesses all over Australia actively using Black PP are already keeping 7 Million Kg of recyclable material out of landfill every year. Our aim at GCP, is to increase our use of recycled PP for plastics, Pots and Containers targeting 10million Kg per annum. We are ready to use the PP our recyclers source from various industry members, landscape businesses or home gardeners to make pots over and over again.
What if we didn’t have PP?
If we discarded PP as our chosen container and label material in favour of another resource, such as compostable or biodegradable materials, Australia would automatically need to find landfill space for all the PP used in our industry per year. Meaning that through the use of PP plastic for pots etc, this industry’s members are already leaders in good sustainable practice. If we stopped using PP, we would have to use something less suited and less sustainable as packaging preventing finite resources from being used elsewhere.
Why Use and Recycle PP?
We already have an abundant supply of PP onshore. Our industry can lead the way in closed-loop capture and reuse of post-consumer Horticultural PP. Because PP is the main industry packaging type, GCP has been able to find efficient partners to capture and reuse this material as long as it stays free from contamination with other plastics (non PP) or biodegradables which may look the same but can create major problems when mixed with PP. This is why we continue to lead the industry in supply of manufactured recycled PP which is certain to provide good structure and successful use to growers in all container sizes.
Should I be Concerned?
No! Responsible and well informed decisions were made about plant containers in Australia over 30 years ago. PP is a reliable and well accepted recyclable plastic which is being made into flower pots over and over again as it has been for decades. At GCP we are working with many stakeholders to increase the capture and reuse of single and multiuse PP in every state of Australia.
How can I be responsible for Closed Loop PP?
“The people who make the biggest difference are the ones who do the little things consistently” ...
Every one of us as growers or consumers of Greenlife are responsible for taking small but constant steps to make a difference in the collection of post use (recycled) PP.
In your nursery, the steps are important but simple:
- knock loose media out of pots,
- stack pots tightly together and
- return them to the recycle stream free from other plastics (non-PP), contaminants or biodegradable containers.
We want to collect and recycle your PP5 plastic plant pots and labels and give them another plant pot life. All we need from you, is to find your nearest PP5 collection point and bring us your used plant pots and labels.
PP5 collection points can be found at locations Australia wide at participating suppliers and retailers.
How to recycle:
• Check: It’s clearly PP5
• Tap: Knock out excess media
• Stack: Pots together, to fit as much as possible in the cage,
labels can remain attached to pots
Once your PP5 plastic waste is collected and recycled, GCP, with industry leaders Norwood printers, create new products out of the recycled materials – and just like that, your old plant pot is a new plant pot.
GCP and Polymer Processors can also recycle used Plug Trays (PS6) with the same simple Check, Tap & Stack message. See the video below and please feel free to call your local GCP branch for any more information.
How to recycle:
• Check: It’s clearly PS6
• Tap: Knock out excess media
• Stack: On pallets
No red cages, just stack on pallets at your business and GCP will collect.
Any questions, please chat to your local GCP Sales Manager or check out our new PS6 Plug Tray Recycling video, the latest exciting development in our recycling program!
Labelling Recyclables - Check it! Before you chuck it
APCO - Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation
GCP is a signatory to the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) we work closely with APCO in assisting industry to close the loop on packaging of Horticultural Plastics.
Chemical Container Recycling - drumMUSTER
drumMUSTER provides an easy, environmentally-friendly way of disposing empty farming chemical containers across Australia.
Disposing of empty agvet chemical containers in the right way is crucial to the reputation and sustainability of the agricultural industry in Australia. By using the drumMUSTER recycling program you can turn your unwanted containers into useful, sustainable products rather than having them placed into landfill or building up on farm.
VISY Recycled Cardboard
Recycled Cardboard from VISY - For a better world
We source all of our cardboard cartons, packaging and plant transport boxes from Visy with the maximum included recycled cardboard percentage. We take care to work with Visy ensuring that recycled cardboard content increases. Together, we also ensure that each product is fit for purpose and of the right quality and standard for dependable use.
Organic Crop Protectants
GCP partners with these two organizations to convert our commercial plant health solutions to IPM and Organically integrated offers assisting growers to give consumers better Greenlife.
Garden City Plastics & Biological Services have partnered to provide biocontrol solutions to growers within the Horticulture and Ornamental industry of Australia. Growers can access biological control agents such as Predators and Parasitoids with recommendations for implementing and handling Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs within their growing systems through the collaborative work of GCP Agronomists & Biological Services IPM Consultants.