Casepak, recycling and waste management firm, is celebrating its 50th birthday.
The founder, George Smith, started the company as a second-hand carton business with seven members of staff.
After opening in 1997, Casepak’s purpose-built collections and processing facility in Enderby is now processing 150,000 tonnes of recycled material annually.
An increasing demand for total waste management alongside government legislation to reduce the amount of material going to landfill led Casepak to take on a £21 million venture to design, develop and construct a material recovery facility (MRF) with a capacity of 165,000 tonnes per annum, which opened in 2012.
After George Smith’s death in 2013, Casepak was left to his eight children, who are all still involved with the business.
Casepak is currently employing 136 people and serving 320 private-sector organisations and 17 local authorities, including Walsall Council. Casepak was officially incorporated as a business in 1970, and it now sits under its holding company GAE Smith (Holdings) Ltd.
Mark Smith, joint Managing Director of Casepak, said: “We’ve seen a real change in attitudes towards recycling over the years – it's now something that people do inherently, and we’re here to help them and organisations get the very best out of the material they place into their recycling bins.
“Our aim is always to strive for ‘recycling excellence’ and over the last few years we’ve spent a lot of time teaching people how to recycle correctly and be more environmentally responsible; an important issue, not only for the sector, but for society as a whole.
“Moreover, how we’ve adapted and developed over the last few challenging months is true testament to the dedication and hard-working nature of the entire Casepak team. We’ve seen volumes of waste like never before and have had to act speedily to ensure that the material coming into Casepak was processed smoothly, efficiently and safely.
“George, my father, is still always at the heart of everything we do. He had a real recycling vision. He was one of the first to recognise the opportunities that lay ahead. His drive, determination and inspiration shaped the company into one of the best independent recyclers in the country.”
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.