The recycling of natural cork is gaining momentum globally due to a groundswell of support for community-based cork recycling programs.

Growing environmental awareness has led to the development of many new recycling initiatives as well as an increase in the volume of corks being processed through long-standing programs.

In the United States, Amorim executives have been overwhelmed by the response to the ReCork America program. Project manager Roger Archey estimates ReCork America will collect over three million corks in 2009 — double the figure that was recycled in 2008.

“With leading retailers, wineries and hospitality organisations now supporting the project the volume will continue to increase,” said Archey.

Supporters of the program include Whole Foods Market (the world’s largest retailer of natural and organic foods) in Northern California, Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates, Foster’s Wine Estates and the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena.

The early success of ReCork America will come as no surprise to Girl Guides Australia. From humble beginnings in 1990, its cork collection program has grown into a major fundraiser for the national youth organisation with over 100 million corks collected. The Guides traditionally collect about 30 tonnes of natural cork a year, but in 2007 they amassed an incredible 60 tonnes and raised AUS$100,000.

The recycling effort has strong business support including corporations that are keen to build on their own environmental credentials through the project. The Guides encourage members of the community to demonstrate their commitment for the environment by only purchasing wine sealed with natural cork.

This scenario is repeated in many countries with cork recycling programs run by voluntary organisations and local government. Amorim has initiated cork collection campaigns in Italy, South Africa and the United Kingdom.

In order to better manage its commitment to recycling in Portugal, Amorim recently opened a new unit for processing recycled stoppers. The plant is expected to process 90 million corks over the next four years.

Recycled cork is used to manufacture a range of products including flooring, engine gaskets, insulation material, boat decking, safety mats and hockey and cricket balls.

“It is great to see so many community organisations and the people they represent benefiting from cork recycling,” said Amorim’s director of marketing and communications Carlos de Jesus.

“These programs are positive on so many levels — they are good for the environment, they are important fundraising activities for voluntary organisations and they help to communicate important messages about sustainability.”

Corticeira Amorim recently released its third Sustainability Report, providing details of a series of important environmental initiatives undertaken throughout 2008.

“Our commitment to sustainable development is the best way to demonstrate responsible leadership in the cork industry,” said Corticeira Amorim’s chairman and CEO António Amorim.

Corticeira Amorim is the only company in the global cork sector to annually publish its results and outline its future plans in this area.

The release of the 2008 report follows the announcement that Corticeira Amorim has again been acknowledged for the quality of its sustainability reporting at the global Corporate Register Reporting Awards (CRRA).

The CRRA ranked Corticeira Amorim’s 2007 Sustainability Report among the best in the world for its relevance to the understanding of sustainability issues in business. A top 10 placing in the ‘Relevance & Materiality’ category placed Amorim alongside General Electric, Vodafone, Ford, BP and Coca-Cola.

As with its previous sustainability reports, the latest edition explains the company’s best practice in sustainable cork manufacturing, highlights the major sustainability results achieved during 2008 and outlines the initiatives implemented by Corticeira Amorim during the year.

One of the major achievements is that the company’s use of renewable energy has now reached 60 per cent of its energy requirements (up from 45 per cent in 2006). Corticeira Amorim has also reduced its CO2 emissions by a further 4.5 per cent, following a 3.4 per cent reduction in 2007.

Mr Amorim said the report reinforced the environmental advantages of using natural cork products.

For more information and a copy of the 2008 Sustainability Report visit www.corkfacts.com.