A playground bench of recycled plastic is the latest gift bestowed by a local Greek yoghurt manufacturer to Dandenong South Primary School.
Chobani donated the sky-blue seat, which is made from plastic that isn’t recyclable by traditional means.
As part of the REDCycle program, customers dropped off plastic into red bins at supermarkets. It is then transformed into outdoor furntiture by Victorian manufacturer Replas.
Chobani Australia is part of the REDCycle program as a means of cutting down on its packaging going to landfill.
More than 352,000 of its ‘pouches’ – about one tonne of packaging – have been returned as part of the program.
“Chobani pouches are made of soft plastic that cannot be collected through kerbside recycling,” Chobani sustainability manager Sandy Gain said.
“Joining the REDCycle program gives fans a solution to recycle pouches, while giving us a way to give back to the local community.”
Chobani Australia managing director Peter Meek said the bench sent a message of sustainability to the students.
“It shows kids that the lifecycle of Chobani products doesn’t end after the yogurt’s gone.
“With the REDCycle partnership, there’s a tangible outcome that kids can see and learn from.”
Chobani has also been partners in a breakfast club program at Dandenong South Primary since 2014.
The club provides daily nutritious breakfasts to students, who would otherwise miss out on a healthy start to the day.
