Paper containers with metal ends will now be included in the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE UK) bring bank scheme.
There are 334 ACE UK recycling points in the UK
Working in partnership with consumer products producer Sonoco Europe, ACE UK said it can now accept paper containers, including Pringles tubes and food and drink cartons at 334 recycling points in the UK.
Commenting on the agreement, Richard Hands, CEO of ACE UK said: “ACE UK has been successfully running the industry’s recycling programme for the last 15 years, driving significant increases in carton recycling as part of its role as the UK’s food and drink carton industry trade body.
“We have worked closely with local authorities and waste management companies so that today 93% of local authorities collect food and drink cartons for recycling through either Bring Banks or kerbside collection.”
Mr Hands added that whilst the alliance’s primary focus remains on increasing carton recycling, its bring bank network will deliver an “immediate solution” for Sonoco Europe’s paper containers with metal ends.
Stainland
Material is collected from bring bank network by a number of contractors across the country, including J&B Recycling, W&S Recycling and shredding company, Printwaste.
It is then sent to ACE UK’s Stainland recycling facility in West Yorkshire, which is run by Sonoco Alcore.
Fibre from the recycled cartons is fed directly into Sonoco Alcore’s paper mill on the same site, to be turned into industrial coreboard.
‘Important step’
Helen Potter, sustainability commercial lead for Kellogg’s owned Pringles said: “We know that people want to recycle their Pringles tubes. Including a solution for Pringles in the Bring Banks scheme will allow our consumers to return them to be recycled into something new and is an important interim solution as we work towards the development of our new tube.
“At Kellogg’s, we’re committed to making all of our packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable by the end of 2025. This is another important step on this journey.”
Roadmap
It follows the launch of a 10 year roadmap from ACE UK, which outlines the beverage carton manufacturing industry’s commitment to sustainable packaging (see letsrecycle.com story).
In the roadmap, the industry has committed to achieving a 90% collection rate of beverage cartons for recycling and at least a 70% recycling rate for beverage cartons by 2030.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Packaging
