Food processing and packaging solutions company Tetra Pak has partnered with global resource management company Veolia to recycle all components of used beverage cartons collected across the European Union by 2025.
According to the company, the average beverage carton features 75% paperboard, 20% plastic and 5% aluminium foil.
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Tetra Pak noted that the fibres recovered during recycling of used beverage cartons have a good market value when converted into paper pulp for use in both industrial and consumer products.
However, the recovered polymer and aluminium (PolyAl) mix does not have a healthy market.
In order to double the overall value of used beverage cartons, the partnership will focus on processing the extracted PolyAl at dedicated facilities and convert them into raw materials for use in the plastic industry.
Tetra Pak recycling director Lisa Ryden said: “All materials from beverage cartons can be fully recycled into something new and useful. Our approach to recycling involves working with many partners along the value chain because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
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By GlobalData“The challenge in the EU is to achieve the economies of scale and turn PolyAl into high-value secondary materials. With this partnership, we are combining our respective areas of expertise to find sustainable solutions for PolyAl recycling.”
The partnership between Tetra Pak and Veolia will begin in the EU and expand to more markets worldwide.
