Sustainable plant pot designer, elho, has joined forces with the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, Dobbies, to grant gardeners a new way of minimising their plastic waste and impact on the planet.

As part of the partnership, elho’s innovative recycling bins have been installed across 69 of Dobbies’ garden centres, and gardeners are encouraged to bring their old plastic plant pots and seed trays to be recycled in Dobbies’ stores.

This initiative comes as new research from Dobbies Garden Centres reveals that 35% of gardeners want to recycle more of their garden waste products this spring. 

The survey was based on responses from 2,003 UK adults between 4 March and 7 March 2022. 

Both companies are champions of sustainability with industry-leading green initiatives, and the plastic pot recycling bins are the latest innovation in this. elho places nature at its core and boasts a number of sustainable credentials, including the production of only 100% recyclable plant pots that are made from recycled materials, using 100% renewable wind energy from the company’s very own wind-powered factory in the Netherlands. Last year alone, the company recycled more than 13 million kilograms of recycled plastic to create its beautifully designed pots.

Chris Buck, Northern Account Manager at elho, explained: “We’re pleased to be working on this initiative with Dobbies to encourage gardeners to recycle their plant pots, and to make it incredibly easy for them to do so. It’s great to be working together to collect plastic garden waste and give it a second lease of life, instead of sending mountains of it to landfill.”

“It has been widely reported that kerbside recycling of plant pots is challenging, with policies varying significantly from council to council. We wanted to help provide gardeners with a simple, convenient solution to dispose of their plant pots in an environmentally friendly way. When visiting the centre to buy more plants, simply return your old pots – it couldn’t be easier!”

Dobbies’ goal is for the initiative to provide customers with the knowledge that plant trays and pots they have purchased are recyclable in store. Like elho, Dobbies is committed to delivering environmentally friendly practices, products and sustainable solutions. 

Marcus Eyles, Horticultural Director at Dobbies Garden Centres, added: “We are always looking for ways to embed sustainability into our operations, and this is a positive step forward in our #SustainableDobbies journey.

“We also know from our own research that this is also something our customers are increasingly passionate about, and while we have encouraged pot recycling for a number of years in-store, these new bins provide customers with a clear message and opportunity to recycle.”

For a list of Dobbies stores visit dobbies.com