Media Release
This Melbourne Cup Carnival, racegoers will have the opportunity to see just how single-use plastics can be repurposed in 2019 – and have a delicious alcoholic seltzer at the same time.
Thousands of pieces of recycled plastic have been used to create the Round II bar – a new initiative by Lion to celebrate its partnership with soft plastic recycling organisation REDcycle and its manufacturer Replas.
Launched just in time to pour Lion’s sparkling alcoholic seltzer, Quincy, throughout the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Round II bar is made from 98 per cent recycled plastic whilst the furniture and barriers are made from a mixture of post-industrial plastic, such as car bumpers, and approximately 13,500 pieces of post-consumer soft plastic waste including plastic bags, lolly wrappers, and shrink
wrap used for beer packaging.
Lion’s Head of Sustainability, Libby Davidson said the Round II bar is an Australian first, and will be used at many of the company’s key sponsorship events.
“The impact of single-use plastics on the environment is a key concern at Lion so we are always looking for new, innovative ways to repurpose this resource and promote the circular economy,” Ms Davidson said.
“The concept was developed by a group of our own people from different teams across the business during a lunchtime sustainability hackathon. Not only does this reinforce the power of diversity, it’s also a great example of what a company can achieve if you empower your people to share ideas and really make a difference beyond the bottom line.”
In September Lion announced that it was the first major brewer in Australia to partner with REDcycle – a national soft plastic recycling initiative which collects and reuses soft plastics that cannot go into kerbside recycling.
Once processed, the reclaimed plastic is delivered to Victorian manufacturer Replas where it undergoes transformation into a range of recycled-plastic products including park benches and street signage.
