It is increasingly common to talk about sustainability in horticulture. But in practice, in a nursery, the question is different: what does it really involve to work with recycled and recyclable materials?
Beyond the message, the impact lies in how plantation containers are designed, used, and recovered. Today, on the occasion of World Recycling Day, we will reflect on this.
Not all plastic is the same
In the day-to-day running of the nursery, the containers are subjected to continuous sun exposure, frequent watering, constant handling, and transport.
That is why, when discussing recycled materials, one of the main challenges is maintaining technical performance: strength, stability, and durability.
This is where product design and the quality of the recycled material used come into play.
Recycled material vs. recyclable product
These are two concepts that are often confused, but they are not the same:
- Recycled material: the product is manufactured from recovered plastic waste.
- Recyclable product: the container can be reintroduced into the cycle at the end of its service life.
To move towards a more circular model, both factors must be present at the same time.
One of the most widespread routes is the use of plastic from the yellow bin (post-consumer material). This type of raw material makes it possible both to reduce the use of virgin plastic and to give a second life to waste that has already been generated; it also allows technical applications to be maintained if the process is well controlled.
However, it introduces variables such as colour variability or the need to adjust formulations to ensure mechanical performance.
In a nursery, sustainability does not depend solely on the origin of the material.
It is also influenced by the container’s reusability, its strength over several cycles, and its design to facilitate subsequent recycling.
A container that lasts longer is already reducing its impact.
How can you tell if a product is truly recyclable?
This is where certifications come into play.
Organisations such as Cyclos-HTP assess the actual recyclability of products, taking into account material composition, ease of sorting, and compatibility with existing recycling processes.
For professionals, this provides an objective criterion beyond the manufacturer’s claim.
Recycling in a nursery does not depend only on the manufacturer. Internal waste management, material separation, and collaboration with authorised waste managers also play a role.
It is a shared process across the entire chain.
From theory to practice: solutions already available
RR100%: recycled and recyclable as the standard
This approach is already being applied in the market through different solutions.
One of the development lines in the sector is the manufacture of containers made from 100% recycled plastic and, at the same time, 100% recyclable.
This approach makes it possible to reintroduce plastic waste directly into the production process, reduce the consumption of virgin raw material, and ensure that the product can be recycled again at the end of its service life.
In this context, certification becomes especially important.
Some ranges, such as Alber’s RR100%, have Cyclos-HTP certification, which assesses the product’s actual recyclability within existing systems.
This provides an additional guarantee: not only is the material recycled, but it is designed to re-enter the cycle.
Beyond 17 May
World Recycling Day helps to shine a spotlight, but in the nursery sector the challenge is daily:
to produce efficiently, reducing impact without compromising the plantation.
The use of recycled and recyclable materials is one of the tools available, but its effectiveness depends on how it is integrated into the nursery’s day-to-day operations.
