Don’t bottle it, local MP urges Minister in packaging debate
A local company on a mission to decarbonise the drinks industry got a shout out in Parliament.
EcoSIP, based in Leighton Buzzard, is a pioneering local business that produces innovative ultra-light packaging for wine.
Designed by local inventor Alex Taylor the single serve pouches slash CO2 emissions by 90% compared to traditional glass bottles.
Speaking in a Parliamentary debate local MP Alex Mayer highlighted the company and called for a little known regulation to be changed to allow the business to grow.
A technicality in weights and measures law means the firm is banned from selling its wine in 125ml containers – even though that’s a standard glass of wine served in pubs.
Addressing Ms Mayer’s question, the Minister promised to “see what we can do.”
The exchange took place in a Westminster debate on the “Extended Producer Responsibility” which aims to make manufacturers take charge of their packaging waste with a “polluter pays” principle.
Speaking after the debate, Ms Mayer said: “Leighton Buzzard is at the heart of a green manufacturing revolution. I was fascinated to learn recently that so many wine advent calendars use packaging invented in Leighton Buzzard. Now I want to make it easier for companies using low carbon materials to sell wine in the quantities customers want. More widely I also back the Extended Producer Responsibility which will make people who create and sell packaging to take responsibility for it with the money raised being ploughed into councils’ recycling.”