The average beverage carton comprises around 75% paperboard, 20% plastic and 5% aluminium foil. Fibres recovered during recycling are of great value when converted into paper pulp for use in both industrial and consumer products, the same is not true for the recovered polymer and aluminium (PolyAl) mix. 

With this new venture, the extracted PolyAl will be processed at dedicated facilities and converted into raw materials for applications within the plastic industry. In this way, the overall value of used beverage cartons is expected to double. 

The Tetra Pak and Veolia 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 of 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.”