Webpackaging logo

One of Europe's main recycling hubs for beverage cartons starts operations, backed by Tetra Pak and Stora Enso

Europe, Eastern Europe, Poland, Eating, Drinking, Recycling, Material Processing, Cleaning
  • State-of-the-art line at Stora Enso’s Polish production site is set to triple the country’s annual recycling capacity of post-consumer beverage cartons
  • Potential to recycle the entire volume of beverage cartons sold in Poland, with additional volumes from Central and Eastern Europe
  • By turning used paper-based packaging into new paper-based packaging materials, the line is keeping quality resources in circulation, reducing the use of virgin content

With a joint investment of around €29 million by Tetra Pak and Stora Enso, a new recycling line for post-consumer beverage cartons is starting operations in Poland. The line has the potential to triple the annual recycling capacity of beverage cartons in the country - from 25,000 to 75,000 tonnes – and provides scope to absorb the entire volume of beverage cartons sold in Poland, as well as additional volumes from neighbouring countries, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.

Featuring an annual capacity of 50,000 tonnes, the state-of-the-art line at Stora Enso’s production unit in Ostrołęka (Poland) handles solely beverage carton material separation, detaching fibres from polymers and aluminium. The fibres are then recycled into cardboard materials, effectively contributing to material circularity by turning used paper-based packaging into new paper-based packaging materials. This new paper recycling facility is complemented by Czech company Plastigram Industries, that, together with Tetra Pak, is industrialising a solution to recycle polyAl1 into new products.

“For decades, we have been working to enhance beverage carton recycling capacity, co-investing with recyclers, technology providers and suppliers in new equipment and facilities” comments Lars Holmquist, EVP Sustainability & Communications at Tetra Pak. “In 2022, Tetra Pak contributed nearly €30 million2 to collection and recycling projects worldwide, with plans to go further and invest up to €40 million annually over the next years. As part of the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE), we support the industry ambition to increase the collection for recycling rate of beverage cartons to 90% and the recycling rate to 70%, in the EU, by 2030. I am very pleased to see that our collaboration with Stora Enso translates into one of the largest recycling hubs for beverage cartons in Europe, contributing to this ambition. This is also an excellent example of how systemic and collective actions can help keep quality renewable materials in the loop - like paper fibres from recycled cartons.”

“We are very pleased to see the results of our close cooperation with Tetra Pak, who, like Stora Enso, has the development of sustainable solutions at their core. This new modern solution marks a significant addition to European recycling capacity and a concrete step forward in the circularity of consumer packaging. In addition to complementing the current scope of our production site in Poland, the recycling facility will significantly contribute towards the recycling and waste reduction goals of the EU’s proposal for a Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation,” says Hannu Kasurinen, EVP Packaging Materials at Stora Enso.

The new line is set to ramp up recycling of beverage cartons throughout Central and Eastern Europe, signaling the beverage carton industry’s willingness to support the circularity goals of the proposed EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), and showcasing the pivotal role of recycling in helping the green transition of the food packaging sector. The industry has already invested approximately €200 million to increase the capacity for beverage carton recycling in the EU and plans to invest a further €120 million by 2027.3


1 The non-fibre component of carton packages is known as polyAl, which designates the layers of polyolefins and aluminium being used as barrier against oxygen and humidity to protect the food content in aseptic carton packages.
2 Both OPEX and CAPEX investments
3 https://www.beveragecarton.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ACE-Impact-assessment-study-of-an-EU-wide-collection-for-recycling-target-of-beverage-cartons-Roland-Berger.pdf

See also

Tetra Pak strives for zero waste with new strategic collaboration with Poka

Tetra Pak and Poka are pleased to announce the launch of a new strategic collaboration that brings together the expertise, technology, and best practices of Tetra Pak, a leader in the food & beverage packaging industry, with the power of Poka, the most comprehensive connected factory worker platform. This collaboration will empower workers in food production with the tools and training needed to accelerate zero waste processes in food manufacturing plants.

Tetra Pak research study reveals food safety-environment dilemma fostered by COVID-19 pandemic

Tetra Pak has unveiled findings from its global research study, in partnership with Ipsos, showing that food safety is a major issue for society. The same amount of respondents believe that COVID-19 is a “real threat.” At the same time, concern for the environment remains strikingly powerful, pointing towards a dilemma in the consumers’ minds as they try to balance the critical priorities of human existence through safe food and sustainability of the planet we live on.

Tetra Pak offers best-practice yoghurt lines to help customers capture growing demand

Tetra Pak has launched new best-practice lines for yoghurt products - a suite of expert services which support a wide variety of yoghurt innovations to address growing consumer demand. Leveraging more than 45 years of experience in processing and packaging solutions with deep knowledge of yoghurt, enabling Tetra Pak to offer support for designing processes that do not compromise on production economy or flexibility.

Tetra Pak research study reveals the convergence of environment and health is growing, and the Food and Beverage Industry is first to see this trend

Tetra Pak today reveals the findings from a global research study in partnership with Ipsos1 on the two most pressing consumer demands: the environment and health. They have historically been seen, and communicated, as separate areas: however they are increasingly converging, creating pivotal opportunities for food and beverage brands in how they market their products over the next 12 months.

Sustainable JNSD line pays off – Tetra Pak wins IFU 2019 Innovation Award

"In 2011, we realized that something could be done differently in the Juice-Nectar-Still Drink (JNSD) industry and decided to focus on how to make juice production more sustainable. To achieve that we needed to find innovative solutions which save energy and water", says Maria Norlin, Subcategory Manager JNSD & Other Beverages. On October 1st, this ground-breaking initiative was recognized by International Fruit and Vegetable juice Association.

Tetra Pak surpasses 500 billion FSC labelled package milestone​

Tetra Pak has now delivered more than 500 billion packages labelled with the Forest Stewardship Council logo globally, marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey to promote responsible sourcing and contributing to a low-carbon circular economy. Consumers looking for environmental logos when shopping is a growing trend, with over half of consumers saying they are always and often looking for environmental logos on the products they buy.

Tetra Pak becomes first carton packaging company to launch paper straws in Europe

Tetra Pak has announced that customers have started field testing its paper straws for beverage products in Europe. The move means Tetra Pak is the first carton packaging company to provide such straws for beverage cartons in the region. Made from FSC certified paper and recyclable with the rest of the package, the new paper straw will be available initially for two small size carton packages commonly used for dairy and beverage products for children.

Case study: Hellenic Dairies sees the benefits of integrated plant management

Greek dairy producer Hellenic Dairies is a longstanding Tetra Pak customer with seven filling lines and extensive processing equipment. The company holds a strong position in south-east Europe for liquid dairy products, cheese, yoghurt and juices, nectars and still drinks. In 2016, a major investment in their plant in Brasov, Romania, working closely with Tetra Pak and our strategic supplier Elettric80, resulted in the installation of a comprehensive range of end-of-line and warehousing equipment.

  • Company News
  • English
  • Modified 10 Jul 2023
  • Hits 326