Environment
Recycled Plastic
Our philosophy has always been to manufacture the world’s best plant container with the minimum possible environmental impact. Central to this is our use of recycled plastic.
Since 1995 our containers have been made from recycled HDPE, a material commonly used to make cable sheathing or bottles for everything from milk to shampoo. The discarded plastic arrives at our factory washed and chipped where we colour it black and mould it into the uniquely profiled sheets that become Air-Pot container walls. 100% of our factory output waste is also recycled.
Reusable Many Times
Air-Pot walls are made to last and the plastic is extremely stable even in strong UV light. At Cherry Lake Tree Farm in Florida Air-Pot containers have been used continually for many years in fierce tropical sunlight.
“Cherrylake Tree Farm has been using Air-Pot containers for just over 20 years and we still have some of the original containers in production. The ability to reuse them year after year and crop after crop, has all but eliminated the issue of single use traditional plastic containers in our production crops. This longevity paired with the superior root quality contributes greatly to Cherrylake’s sustainability goals.”
Todd Gentry – Director of Production, Cherrylake Tree Farm.
The inherent stability of HDPE – a food safe material – means that there is also no danger of chemicals leaching into the growing medium. The reusability of Air-Pot containers means that no waste plastic needs to be taken to the planting site. A win win for the nursery and the user, which also reduces the amount of plastic that is introduced back into the open waste stream.
Faster Growth = Faster CO2 take up
Planting trees is recognised as one of the most effective ways of combating climate change, as they sequester some of the 40 billion tonnes of CO2 produced by humans each year. Research has shown that Air-Pot grown trees absorb up to 75% more CO2 than those grown in conventional containers. They also continue to to grow 40% faster after they have been planted in the landscape. Their improved root structure not only ensures this hugely improved rate of growth but also means a much lower failure rate after planting.
As a result of this faster growth and greater root density, the growing of trees in Air-Pot containers in forty countries around the world, means the absorption of thousands of additional tonnes of CO2 each year. This massively outweighs the 150 tonnes of CO2 produced annually in the manufacture and distribution of our products.
“The Air-Pot container’s reusability makes our growing process in the nursery much more sustainable. The quality of the Air-Pot material makes the system extremely durable and robust, allowing us to re-use the kits for ten years or more.”
Tony Kirkham – Head of arboretum, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
Used by the experts
For many years the benefits of growing with Air-Pot containers have been recognised by the world’s leading horticultural institutions which use them in their programs of conservation and research. Air-Pot grown trees are also specified for the worlds most prestigious landscaping projects.
Video: Find out more about how Experts are using Air-Pot grown trees and plants for tomorrow’s landscapes.
Reducing our footprint
Although the impact of the use of Air-Pot containers means that our effective carbon footprint is zero, we have been working as a company in many other ways to offset and reduce the CO2 which we produce. Energy use has been reduced in our factory and all plastic waste produced in the manufacturing process is recycled back into the system. All retail packaging is now made from recyclable materials.
In order to reduce emissions from air travel we have recently taken on consultants or agents in Holland, South Africa, USA, Chile, Mexico, Taiwan and Oman, responsible for servicing all customers, new and existing in their vicinity. This has drastically reduced the necessity of long haul flights.
We have also introduced online training webinars – giving demonstrations of the use of our products, again reducing the need to visit nurseries and the associated travel.
Backing the boots on the ground
As part of our commitment to a greener world we are proud to support charities who are working to reverse deforestation and environmental damage. From Rainforest Concern in Peru and Chile in their work reinstating the critically endangered dry forest, to Team Kenya, an African charity educating girls and empowering women in rural Kenya.
We also support conservation work at horticultural institutions and botanic gardens by providing Air-Pot containers; including the Millenium Seed Bank, the International Conifer Conservation Project, and Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, where over 3000 species of plant are grown in Air-Pot containers.
