When beverage caps become new trees, the circular economy inspires schoolchildren and collection fever breaks out nationwide, then the Waldquelle and PENNY Squirt Forest gives nature in Austria new air. The Stöpselwald collection initiative launched last year was a complete success, and now round two is being ushered in. In 2022, over 3.8 million beverage caps were collected in just under five weeks, the raw material was recycled, and 1,000 new trees were planted in Lower Austria from the net proceeds. Now the local forests and all collectors can look forward to the continuation of the initiative. In over 300 PENNY stores as well as in selected schools, you can collect from the beginning of April until November.
On Forest Day, PENNY Managing Director Ralf Teschmit and Waldquelle Country Manager Vítězslav Staněk presented the first recycling box to the students and teachers of the MS Dietrichgasse in Vienna on behalf of all collection points. Class 2c of the Viennese middle school was already one of the most diligent collectors last year with its self-made collection boxes. The motto of the motivated students is: "In order to protect nature and fight climate change, every recycled beverage cap counts.
PENNY Austria and Waldquelle Mineralwasser show how circular economy works:
Millions of stoppers are to be used in several federal states with regional foresters to reforest forest areas damaged by climate change. To this end, the two companies are relying particularly on schools this year, but also on the local population. "The introduction of the single-use deposit in 2025 will set an important milestone in the circular economy in Austria. We are convinced that collection behavior must be learned: Because bottles can only become bottles again if they are collected and recycled correctly," emphasizes Vítězslav Staněk, Country Manager Waldquelle Mineral Water.
Thanks to PENNY, all of Austria can join in the collection. "As a discount retailer, we are taking new, innovative paths for and with our customers. We are proud of this and are pleased to be entering the second round with this sustainable project. With the collection boxes in the more than 300 PENNY stores and numerous schools, our customers and students can make a valuable contribution to environmental protection in a simple and uncomplicated way," says Ralf Teschmit, Managing Director of PENNY Austria, about the joint pioneering work.
How does a cap become a tree?
From the PENNY stores, the path of the beverage caps leads directly to the recycling plant. The raw material is processed and prepared for reuse. With the net proceeds of the raw material sold, regional foresters and students from the surrounding area plant trees in Austria together with Waldquelle Mineralwasser and PENNY. The mineral water company from Central Burgenland has already planted almost 5,000 trees in recent years.
Further links
www.waldquelle.at
www.facebook.com/WaldquelleNatur
https://www.penny.at/aktuelles/waldquelle-stoepselwald
***
About Waldquelle
Waldquelle stands for regionality, nature and family. This is reflected in a responsible quality and environmental policy as well as in social commitment in the region. For example, Waldquelle supports selected cultural institutions and events, is very involved in and for the Landseer Berge Nature Park, promotes a wide variety of family activities, is a strong supporter of the Austrians' favorite sport, hiking, and recruits its employees from the local area. Originally, the Waldquelle was owned by the Esterházy family. In 2008, a new owner was found in the Italian-Swiss Pasquale family of entrepreneurs. Waldquelle mineral water rises at the foot of the Pauliberg, Austria's youngest extinct volcano, and is bottled right next to the spring in Kobersdorf. On an annual average, Waldquelle employs 80 people.
About PENNY
PENNY is the brand discount store of REWE International AG and celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2023. The company operates more than 300 stores in Austria with a range of around 2,000 articles and around 2,900 employees. PENNY's strength is Austrian fresh and branded quality. PENNY is the only Austrian food discounter to have a personal butcher at 225 PENNY locations. The motto for fruit and vegetables is "freshness until checkout", while bread and pastries are baked fresh several times a day directly from the store's own oven. The range is rounded off by weekly changing products and special offers in the non-food and food areas. PENNY customers have access to the largest domestic customer club, the jö Bonus Club. Customers are convinced by the wide range of services offered by the brand discount store, and PENNY has been proving this for 20 years!
