The companies intend to install a carton repulping line at Stora Enso’s Ostrołęka production unit to triple the annual recycling capacity of used beverage cartons
Tetra Pak and Stora Enso have collaborated to increase beverage cartons recycling capacity in Poland. (Credit: Tetra Pak)
Food processing and packaging solutions firm Tetra Pak has collaborated with pulp and paper products manufacturer Stora Enso to triple beverage cartons recycling capacity in Poland.
Following a comprehensive feasibility study, the companies intend to install a large-scale carton repulping line at Stora Enso’s Ostrołęka production unit in the country.
The new line is believed to triple the annual recycling capacity of used beverage cartons from 25,000 tonnes to 75,000 tonnes in the country.
It will help recycle the complete volume of beverage cartons sold in the country, in addition to the cartons from neighbouring countries such as Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Stora Enso packaging materials division executive vice president Hannu Kasurinen said: “Stora Enso delivers packaging materials produced from renewable sources. With this development, we can advance towards a greater degree of recyclability, a critical factor in enabling a circular bioeconomy.”
Out of the total investment of €29.1m, Stora Enso will provide €17m to build a new repulping line for the recovery of carton fibres.
Tetra Pak, together with Plastigram, will provide €12.1m to construct an additional line to recover and separately recycle the polymers and the aluminium leveraging a patented separation technology.
Both new lines are expected to be operational at the starting of 2023.
The separated materials will be used as raw materials for different end applications. Recycled fibres will be incorporated into Stora Enso’s recycled board.
The separated polymers and aluminium will be used to produce various products such as crates and foils.
Tetra Pak stated that the investment will support the development of a circular economy at a country level and the initiative is also in line with the European Green Deal.
Tetra Pak Europe and Central Asia president Charles Brand said: “We are seeking opportunities across the entire recycling value chain to improve how cartons get recycled and to develop solutions that effectively recycle all packaging components, including polymers and aluminium.”