The Publication For The Grocery Trade

New collection services set to help local authorities improve carton recycling

A new beverage carton collection and recycling service was unveiled recently when leading global carton manufacturer Tetra Pak joined forces with materials recycling experts, Recresco. Local authorities across the UK now have the opportunity to respond to residents' demands by linking up with Recresco to collect paper-based milk, juice and liquid food cartons for recycling. Recresco is now able to send vehicles to collection sites, such as Household Waste Recycling Centres, storage bays, RoRo containers and bring sites, to collect cartons as part of the existing plastic bottle collection service. The mixed materials are taken in a safe, vacuum-based system to nearby depots for sorting. Tetra Pak then ensures that the cartons are recycled. Recresco is able to offer a viable and affordable solution for beverage carton collection by combining cartons with its long-established plastic bottle collection system, in partnership with Tetra Pak. The plastic bottles and cartons are then separated through the use of near infrared-technology. Currently, 30 local authorities are using the green Recresco banks and will be able to benefit from the partnership. Councils in Solihull, East Hertfordshire, Mansfield, St. Helens and Gedling have already signed up to the scheme. Richard Hands, Environment Manager at Tetra Pak, added: "Beverage cartons can be recycled, but both carton collection and recycling in the UK still lag well behind European levels. We're making great strides towards reaching our goal of national coverage of carton collection by the end of 2008, with around 100 areas either collecting or in the pipeline. We hope even more local authorities will take advantage of this opportunity to provide residents with the recycling opportunities they want." John Ferguson, Development Manager at Recresco, said: "There's no doubt consumers are more environmentally-conscious than ever before and recycling officers across the UK are being bombarded with requests from residents wanting to recycle as many materials as possible. Our partnership with Tetra Pak means we can now offer local authorities the opportunity to reclaim more and more materials from the waste bin to the recycling bin and help their residents to 'do their bit.' By combining the collection of the two streams, carton recycling is affordable and achievable and we can help make it a reality in any area of the UK." The announcement comes just weeks after Tetra Pak, along with other members of the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE UK), announced a £1.2 million National Recycling Fund to help dramatically boost beverage carton recycling in the UK. ACE UK's members are Tetra Pak, Elopak and SIG Combibloc. For the latest information on carton recycling in the UK, visit www.tetrapakrecycling.co.uk and click on the interactive map. For more information about Recresco and the new service, visit www.recresco.com or contact 0845 094 5565.