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Environmental challenge: Plastic netting waste
Each year, IMDEX receives thousands of durable, flexible plastic netting sleeves from global suppliers. Designed to protect machined components during transit, these sleeves have traditionally contributed to landfill waste, posing a significant environmental challenge for the business.
IMDEX’s solution: Collaborative recycling for a circular economy
Recognising the environmental impact of single-use plastics, IMDEX’s Quality Control team partnered with a key supplier to launch a closed-loop recycling program. Instead of disposing of protective netting, IMDEX now returns these sleeves to the supplier for reuse, leveraging existing shipment routes to ensure zero additional transport emissions.
Environmental outcomes
Within the first six months, this initiative has:
- Diverted 40kg of plastic netting from landfill
- 150kg annual recycling target established
- Reduced waste and costs for both IMDEX and its supplier
By keeping protective netting in circulation and out of landfill, IMDEX is reducing its environmental footprint and supporting a more circular approach to resource use.
Looking Ahead: Scaling sustainable impact
Building on early success, IMDEX plans to expand the program by:
- Introducing size-based sorting systems to optimise collection and return
- Further streamlining the recycling process
- Engaging additional suppliers to multiply environmental benefits
- This initiative demonstrates how rethinking everyday practices and fostering supplier collaboration can create practical, scalable sustainability solutions. By closing the loop on plastic netting waste, IMDEX is delivering real environmental outcomes and reinforcing its commitment to responsible resource management.