Where can I recycle Tetra Paks?
It's just one of those annoying things isn't it when you cut down on your packaging, separate out your recycling and are still left with a little pile that looks like it can be recycled but you not sure if it can and who you should give it to. Well as I can see Michael finishing off another cartoon of Innocent smoothies I thought I’d have a Google and find out.
Being made from paperboard (typically 70-90%, low-density polyethylene (typically 10-25%)and aluminium foil (about 5%, only in long life or aseptic packages) tetra paks can be recycled. The problem seems to be that councils have not deemed them to be a big enough priority to add them to their kerbside recycling collections. A reason cited by some include the fact that there isn't anywhere near enough in the UK that can take the cartons for reprocessing that makes it economically and environmentally viable. Although this does seem to be a rather strange excuse when others materials are transported halfway around the world to be reused?
The carton recycling process is essentially quite simple. Baled cartons are dropped into a pulper, similar to a giant domestic food mixer, filled with water, and pulped for around 20 minutes. This delaminates the packaging, breaking down the package to produce a grey-brown slurry. The aluminium foil and polyethylene are separated from the fibre, which is recovered to make new paper products.
Many European countries achieve very high carton recycling rates. For example, in Germany and Belgium it is between 65 and 70% - only slightly ahead of Austria, Sweden and others. The European Union as a whole achieves a 30% carton recycling rate. But in many many many parts of the UK it is extremely difficult to find somewhere to take them.
Tesco has teamed up with Tetra Pak and the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment in the UK (ACE UK) to introduce two carton collection banks in Tesco stores every week until September across the country. But of course if you can't bear to go into Tesco (think it's better for the environment to steer clear of the place!) then Tetra Pak does operate a postal recycling scheme for those who wish to recycle their cartons.
Labels: Brighton, Ethical living, recycling
Thanks for this piece. I heard a rumour that one of the guys behind Tetra Pak lives in Sussex (whether the inventor, managing director etc, I don't know). I also heard that Magpie takes them, but again I haven't confirmed. City Clean have said that it is too expensive to send them up to the recycling point in Scotland, which I am told is the only centre in the country. As you point out, when much of our recycling (especially plastics) are sent around the world, this should not be insurmountable. Moreover, with the huge turnover, it shouldn't be so hard to set up a recycling centre in the South. Is it really so difficult to make a business case for doing so, in these days of Landfill Tax Credits? We need a 'Sussex Remade', a local equivalent of the excellent organisation London Remade, to bring waste companies, councils, manufacturers, designers, procurement officers etc together. If there is any enthusiasm out there I would love to help push toward a 'Sussex Remade'.
Thanks for this piece. I heard a rumour that one of the guys behind Tetra Pak lives in Sussex (whether the inventor, managing director etc, I don't know). I also heard that Magpie takes them, but again I haven't confirmed. City Clean have said that it is too expensive to send them up to the recycling point in Scotland, which I am told is the only centre in the country. As you point out, when much of our recycling (especially plastics) are sent around the world, this should not be insurmountable. Moreover, with the huge turnover, it shouldn't be so hard to set up a recycling centre in the South. Is it really so difficult to make a business case for doing so, in these days of Landfill Tax Credits? We need a 'Sussex Remade', a local equivalent of the excellent organisation London Remade, to bring waste companies, councils, manufacturers, designers, procurement officers etc together. If there is any enthusiasm out there I would love to help push toward a 'Sussex Remade'.
Hi Martin,
Thanks for your comments. I've just revisted this article to update it and realised that I hadn't actually posted my response.
I think pulling people together to push for a Sussex Remade is a great idea. I think Kent now has a scheme up and running. I was reading today that West Sussex has approximately 3 years space left in its landfill sites and its simply staggering the amount of waste households and industry generate.
Are you still doing your Greenspeak events? I organise a series of ethical networking events in Brighton for a wide range of local ethical businesses (Our Ethical Network). Perhaps you'd like to come to the next one and we can rally up support.
Jennifer
According to the Tetra Pak site
http://www.tetrapakrecycling.co.uk/locator.asp
Magpie operating in Brighton can collect them. Worthing residents they will be rolling out curbside collection next year...