Proactive volunteers at the Elmet Lions have helped save thousands of blister packs from landfill after a successful recycling drive. The team collected 13 enormous bags of the packs at their drop off point next to the Maltings Tea Rooms. The trial project was made possible thanks to a £425 grant for the cost of the pallet collection box from the Kingspan Insulation Community Trust.
Over 36 million tons of blister packs are produced globally each year, with the NHS alone using around 150 million annually. These packs, made from a mix of plastic and aluminium, are difficult to recycle and typically end up in landfill or incineration.
To address this, MYGroup has installed a specialised recycling line at its Hull facility, where it separates and recovers the materials: aluminium is sent to a local refinery, plastics are either recycled back into supply chains or used to make MYBoard™, a plywood-like material for construction and furniture. The facility is also equipped to handle accidental contamination from unused medicines, converting medical residue into bio-fuel while maintaining full material recovery. MYGroup collected the Elmet Lions’ pallet to take back to their facility for recycling.
Facilitating recycling projects within the community is a key objective for the Kingspan Insulation Planet Passionate Community Fund. The Fund awards grants to projects and initiatives which have been nominated by staff at its UK sites and meet one of four criteria. In addition to encouraging wellbeing and recreation, these are:
- helping communities to meet one of its Planet Passionate focus areas – reducing energy demand and helping to switch to renewable sources, lowering carbon em
- issions, supporting circularity and recycling, and helping to maintain clean waterways;
- supporting biodiversity, conservation, and protection of our natural world; and
- developing the education and skills of young people.
The Elmet Lions are now looking for local businesses to help fund the collection point, allowing it to continue to operate into 2026
For more information:
Planet Passionate | Kingspan GB
www.linkedin.com/company/kingspan-insulation-global