Coventry school to save thousands of single-use plastics after switch to responsible packaging
A Coventry school has dramatically reduced the number of single-use plastics it sends to landfill after partnering with a local sustainable packaging business.
The Romero Catholic Academy has teamed up with Coventry-based Purple Planet Packaging to supply Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School with compostable or recyclable responsible cups, trays and cutlery.
It is the first academy in Coventry to be supplied by the company based on Seven Stars Industrial Estate, saving thousands of pieces of plastic every week from going to landfill.
The link builds on the academy’s decision in 2020 to bring its entire catering operation in house to reduce food miles and provide fresher, more sustainable meals.
Marcus Chilvers, catering manager at the Romero Catholic Academy, said some products would also be used to support food tasting experiences as part of the curriculum – with European cuisine being served up to the academy’s primary schools this term.
He said: “We have taken huge steps in recent years to reduce the impact our catering operation has on the environment across all of our schools, including taking all food production in house.
“This new link between Cardinal Wiseman and Purple Planet Packaging is another way we are shifting the dial to be more sustainable and we are really excited about it.
“Showing we’re taking all possible measures to be more sustainable is crucial not just for the planet, but in making our young people aware of the impact everyday items can have and why it’s important to think about the products we use on a daily basis.”
Mark Farr, CEO and co-founder of Purple Planet Packaging, said: “One of our objectives is to work with more local organisations so we are really pleased to be supplying the Romero Catholic Academy.
“Education is a core value of ours and our ambition is to work with more schools across the city not just to reduce the amount of plastic that goes to landfill and slash delivery miles, but to educate young people and work alongside their eco-groups to close the product life-cycle loop wherever possible.”
