Tetra Pak has joined hands with global resource management company Veolia to recycle all components of used beverage cartons collected in the EU by 2025.

They will be processed at dedicated facilities and converted into raw materials for use in the plastic industry, making the value chain for collection and recycling more efficient and viable.

The partnership will start in the EU and expand to more markets around the world.

Lisa Ryden, recycling director, Tetra Pak 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. The challenge in the EU is to achieve the economies of scale and turn PolyAl into high-value secondary materials.”

Laurent Auguste, senior EVP, development, innovation & markets, Veolia, said: “This partnership joins together our resource management expertise and Tetra Pak’s packaging material expertise. 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.

In Viet Nam, Tetra Pak is working with local partners to set up a collection system to supply used cartons to recyclers. The company is also looking for co-operation opportunities with other local recyclers.

It is also piloting a used carton collection model at selected schools and public places in HCM City to support the city’s waste management efforts. —VNS