Milk and dairy products producer Bannister Downs Dairy has launched its premium milk range in 100% recycled plastic bottles.

Bannister's Farm Fresh and All Lite Milk products are now packaged in a new two-litre recycled bottle, making it the first company in Australia to do so.

Developed by packaging and recycling company Visy, the new bottle is manufactured from fully recycled plastics collected through various reuse programmes.

In addition to being fully recyclable via kerbside collection, the bottle’s side grip handle makes it more user-friendly, especially for consumers who have problems with their grip.

Bannister managing director Sue Daubney said: “Our new bottle looks quite different on the shelf, it has a very different side grip handle to what people are used to, but to me this difference reinforces the benefits of this wonderful bottle and that it is produced through an authentic recycling programme.

“There are higher costs in producing the recycled material than a standard bottle, but we value not adding new plastic to the planet and believe that our customers will too.”

The partnership with Visy will enable the company to support local manufacturing jobs.

Visy is manufacturing the packaging from its Western Australia-based facility in Forrestfield.

The company partners with various councils across Australia to process approximately 40% of the country's kerbside recycling bins.

In October this year, Visy opened a new corrugated cardboard box manufacturing facility in Hemmant, Queensland, Australia.