Packaging firm Tetra Pak and waste management business Veolia have formed a partnership to enable all components of used beverage cartons to be recycled by 2025.
Tetra Pak said the average carton comprised around 75% paperboard, 20% plastic and 5% aluminium foil. Recovered fibres have a viable market but the polymer and aluminium (PolyAl) mix does not.
Under the partnership, the extracted PolyAl will be processed and converted into raw materials for plastic industry applications. This is expected to double the value of used cartons and make recycling more efficient and viable.
Laurent Auguste, senior vice-president for development, innovation and markets at Veolia, said: “We will develop an environmentally and economically sustainable solution to recycling PolyAl, first in the EU and then Asia, to improve collection, technology and processes.”
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Readers' comments (2)
Tony Hancock19 November, 2018 7:38 pm
Why is it taking 7 years to institute this initiative ?
Tony Hancock - The Independent Packaging Environment and Safety Forum
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Patrick Lewis20 November, 2018 8:34 am
I have to agree with you Tony H,
on the Isle of Man, IOM Creameries, are using this new carton and I have to say as a recycling company it would be great if we could recycle it, however all the adverts for this cartons says it is 100% recyclable, but the agreement with Veolia and Tetrapk says otherwise, so we have to make sure non of these cartons goes through our balers and we have to stock pile them or send them for incineration my its fun running a recycling business.
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