Tetra Pak, in collaboration with Lactalis, today presented a new packaging solution, the first of its kind in the beverage carton industry. The new packaging uses certified recycled polymers linked to used beverage cartons: in fact, as the multinational company stresses in its press release, "it marks an absolute novelty for the beverage carton industry and a significant step towards a circular economy". 

The material, the official note explains, has been certified by ISCC PLUS as coming from the recycling process of used cartons in Spain and is assigned to the packaging according to a mass balance attribution method. This means that "certified recycled polymers are made from a mix of recycled and non-recycled fossil raw materials" which ensures "the provenance and traceability of the corresponding volume of recycled material along the supply chain". The chemical recycling process, the note adds, "ensures that certified recycled polymers do not compromise packaging quality, food safety or other attributes, further demonstrating the circular potential of cartons".

This progress, the company explains, "keeps quality resources in circulation and reduces industry’s dependence on fossil virgin materials, in line with both companies' ambitions to further improve the environmental profile of packaging". 

Tetra Pak plans to invest 100 million Euros per year over the next five to ten years to achieve this goal, while Lactalis has made responsible packaging and the circular economy one of its global environmental priorities, together with animal welfare on partner farms and the decarbonisation of all its activities by 2050.

"Our partnership with Tetra Pak is rooted in a shared vision and commitment to environmental management for future generations, facilitated by the principles of the circular economy. Packaging innovation plays a crucial role in this effort -says Joël Llovera, Purchasing Director at Lactalis Iberia-. We are dedicated to sustainable progress. The transition from fossil-based to recycled polymers, certified by ISCC PLUS as bound to used beverage cartons, is a significant step towards our goal".

"Increasing the use of renewable and recycled resources in packaging is crucial if we are to help food and beverage producers achieve material circularity, transforming waste into new resources and reducing dependence on virgin and fossil materials -adds Marco Marchetti, vicep president of Packaging materials, sales and distribution solutions at Tetra Pak-. To increase the adoption of certified recycled polymers in food packaging, we need collective action across the system and legislation that allows for this. Scientists, politicians, recyclers, industry operators and others must work together to turn challenges into opportunities, as demonstrated by our first introduction to the world with Lactalis".

The new initiative involves packaging of the range of dairy products Puleva Lactalis sold in Spain in cartons Tetra Brik Aseptic 1000 Slim with HeliCap 23 Pro closure: among the products that will use the new packaging there are skimmed milk, Partially skimmed, whole and lactose free. Following the launch under the Puleva brand, Lactalis intends to gradually expand its range of dairy products in packaging that uses certified recycled polymers. 

This step, the note concludes, is also in line with the expectations of consumers around the world, who are demanding more commitment from brands in terms of sustainability and are starting to adapt their behaviors. Tetra Pak research shows that 78% of consumers are concerned about the environmental impact of plastic waste, and 29% said they have increased their purchases of recycled packaging products in the last year.