Endeavour Group has expanded its beer can clip recycling initiative to South Australia and Western Australia.
Following the success of the initiative on the Eastern seaboard, the company has partnered with Prancing Pony Brewery in South Australia and Western Australian sustainability start-up, Donut Waste, to collect can clip units in select BWS and Dan Murphy’s stores in the respective states.
“We will collect, wash, pack and sell them back to breweries for a discounted price. Our aim is to make enough money to cover our expenses so we can make the whole process economically viable,” said Sharka Hornakova, founder of Donut Waste.
The can clips are sent to Visy Recycling at the end of their lifespan, where they are converted into HDPE resin (high-density polyethylene), which is then returned to PakTech – the company that produces the can clips – so they can create more clips.
Prancing Pony has been reusing can clips returned by customers to its brewery in Totness since 2019. CEO and founder Corinna Steeb said that this initiative helps reduce waste and it is also convenient for shoppers to return clips on their way to buy new beverages.
“We have a 60kw solar system to reduce our grid electricity usage, all the grain leftover after brewing goes to local pig farmers and we use recyclable and reusable materials as much as we can,” she added.
South Australia’s Minister for Environment and Water David Speirs said he welcomed the reuse and recycling initiative as it will reduce plastic ending up in landfills or on the streets.
“Last year the Marshall Liberal Government became the first state in the country to ban single-use plastics, so initiatives like this from the private sector are very much welcomed,” said Speirs.
Almost 30 stores across the country have collection units for can clips and the group is planning on expanding to more stores this year.
