Independent Queensland brewery, Brouhaha, has teamed up with Ecogrip to launch what it calls the first 100 per cent Australian recycled plastic can carrier.
Four-packs of Brouhaha’s core and seasonal range will now be in these new can carriers in bottle shops across the country. The carriers are locally made and manufactured and bypasses all imported alternatives of recycled plastics in its environmentally friendly design.
A no waste ethos and focus on a circular economy is part of the wider Brouhaha business too according to Director, Matt Jancauskas. But he said until last year, the only recycled plastic can carriers he could get were from North America and that didn’t seem like the most sustainable option.
“There’s a misconception that when we pick up a recycled product that we’re buying into a greener and more environmentally friendly vision, when in fact we’re unfortunately missing the full picture,” said Jancauskas.
“By bringing in recycled plastics from overseas, we’re not utilising the surplus of our own waste that we have available to use, nor are we addressing the wastage and contribution to landfill and the flow on environmental impacts in our own backyard.
“Our partnership with Ecogrip allows us to utilise resources in a more considered way, with conscious packaging that combats Australia’s plastics crisis. It also means that as a brand, we’re staying true to our local supply chains and commitment to sustainable practices.”
On average, Australians use 130kg of plastic per person each year, with only nine per cent of that being recycled. This is something that Brouhaha aims to boost further both with this latest collaboration and even the details of the can carrier chosen.
As Jancauskas said: “We’re using an all white Ecogrip can carrier that is most easily recognisable by the infrared waste sorters in Australian plants, as materiality and transparency is another barrier that can obstruct our efforts to recycle.”
Ecogrip Director, Jonathan Buntz, said the pandemic has really driven this next step of the closed loop for 100 per cent Australian plastic recycling, as global supply chain disruptions highlighted how much we rely on imported materials. Of course, any recycling efforts are commendable, but looking locally is an even more sustainable option and is an idea that Ecogrip hopes to see expand in Australia as people realise what this means for the local environment.
“Even if that plastic is recycled in the country of origin, fundamentally we’re still importing plastic. We are also under-utilising our own waste in Australia and a staggering 30,000 tonnes of plastic is finding its way into our waterways and oceans each year,” explained Buntz.
“We wanted to create a solution that avoided virgin materials, increased the market life of post-consumer goods, closed the recycling loop and reduced reliance on these external supply chains. The end result is a smarter packaging solution that keeps all manufacturing processes on shore and environmentally accountable. We are proud to say that Brouhaha was the first brewery to come on board and look forward to a long partnership in the future.”