Tetra Pak in talks with UK paper mills

The 137 million turnover carton manufacturer issued a sustainability report last week pledging to recycle all materials collected by carton recycling schemes in the UK.

Tetra Pak is pledging to recycle all cartons collected as it bids to reach a 10% recycling rate by 2008

The pledge followed this summer's closure of the only reprocessing plant dedicated to the recycling of cartons, the Smith Anderson facility in Fife (see letsrecycle.com story).

Tetra Pak produces 55,000 tonnes of cartons every year, but they are difficult to recycle because they are made from polyethylene, aluminium foil and paper fused together.

Before its closure, the Smith Anderson facility had the theoretical capacity to reprocess 20% of all the cartons used in the UK each year. But, the plant did not “anywhere near full capacity”, and although the paper component of the cartons was turned into new cardboard, the aluminium and plastic – about 33% of the cartons – had to be landfill.

Norway
After the Fife plant's closure, cartons are now being sent to Norway for reprocessing as a temporary measure. Collection companies have said their services have been unaffected.

Ken Orchard, managing director at Mid Devon Community Recycling, one organisation providing collections of Tetra Pak cartons, explained: “We haven't experienced any problems. Tetra Pak tell us they are talking to four different mills at the moment, and has particular hopes for two of them. While there is this temporary blip, our collected cartons are going to Norway for reprocessing.”

However, senior paper industry sources have told letsrecycle.com it is unlikely that UK paper mills would be able to deal with large quantities of cartons because of the potential contamination.

”It's not particularly good for local authority targets, but it's a big volume out of the waste stream, so it's very popular with householders. “
– Ken Orchard of Mid Devon Community Recycling on carton collections
Collections
In its 2006 Sustainability Update, Tetra Pak said 44 local areas are now collecting cartons for recycling, achieving a 3% recycling rate. Recycling rates for Tetra Paks have risen from 1% in 2003 to 3% in 2005 according to the report.

The percentage of UK authorities collecting cartons has risen from 0.7% in 2003 to 10.8% in 2005. Tetra Pak is providing 300,000 to help local authorities set up new collection schemes, with a new recycling officer, Nicola Mann, appointed to steer the programme.

The company's aim is to reach a 10% recycling rate by 2008 in the UK. Across the globe, the goal for Tetra Pak is to reach a 25% recycling rate.

The company said: “We have ambitious targets ahead of us, and, whilst we realise the need to improve recycling rates, the importance of collection availability becomes paramount. As a result, we are aiming for a 5% recycling rate with coverage of over 160 district areas by the end of 2006.

“This will be a significant challenge, but one we are committed to achieving,” the Update stated, adding: “We guarantee that all cartons collected in the UK market will be recycled.”

“Popular”
Mr Orchard, whose community sector company collects cartons from 31,000 households, told letsrecycle.com today that the service remains very popular with householders.

“It doesn't produce a big tonnage, so it's not particularly good for local authority targets, but it's a big volume out of the waste stream, so it's very popular with householders,” he said.

“It's led to a 5% increase in participation,” Mr Orchard claimed.