MilkandJuiceCarton
Recycling
Australiansuseover1billioncartonseachyearandabout2in5getrecycled.Milkandjuice
cartonsaremadefromliquidpaperboard(LPB),whichisconstructedfromcardboardwith
layersofplastic,andinthecaseoflong-lifeproducts,athinlayerofaluminiumfoil.
Cardboardmakesupthelargestproportionofthesematerials-about88%ofaone-litre
freshmilkcartonforexample.ThevastmajorityofAustralians,wellover80%,livein
councilsthatcollectmilkandjuicecartonsforrecycling.
DifferentTypesofCartons
• Gabletopcartonsaremadefromalayerof
cardboardsandwichedbetweentwolayersof
verythinplastic.Somefruitjuicecartonshave
anadditionallayeroffoilandathirdlayerof
plastictoimprovetheshelflifeandretain
flavours.
• Asepticpackages(UltraHighTemperatureor
longlifepacks)aremadefromfivelayers:three
ofplastic,oneoffoilandoneofcardboard.
LPB,gabletopandasepticcartons
Cartonsandcontentsareheattreatedbefore
beingpackagedanddonotneedtoberefrigeratedbeforeuse.Thiskeepsfoodsafe
andfreshforatleast6months,resultinginsavingsinenergy,storageandtransport.
WhyRecycle
• Reducinggreenhousegases.Whenthecardboardinsidecartonsbreaksdownin
landfillitcreatesmethane,agreenhousegaswithaglobalwarmingcapacity21times
morepowerfulthancarbondioxide.
• Reducingwaste.Milkandjuicecartonshaveahighcontentofrenewableraw
material–cardboardthatisfullyrecyclable.Themostimportantthingwithcartons,
beingmadefromrecyclableandvaluableresources,isthattheydon’tendupin
landfill.
• Recoveringresources.Recyclingakiloofcardboardcanpreventuptoakiloof
greenhousegasesfrombeingreleased.Highqualitywoodfibresincartonsare
recycledintonewproducts,includingtissues,writingpaper,andcardboard.
• Savingwaterandenergy.Manufacturingcardboardproductsfromrecycledmaterial,
ratherthanvirginreducestheneedtoextractrawmaterialslikefibre,water(upto
99%less)andenergyuse(upto50%less)andminimiseschemicalusebyupto90%.
What Happens to the Cartons?
Themostcommonwayofrecyclingpost-consumerLPBisbyre-pulpinginpapermills.
Cartonsareswirledaroundinsideavatofwater,whichhelpstoseparatethecardboard
fromtheplasticandaluminium.
Thecardboardfibresabsorbthewater,makingathickslurry,whiletheplasticand
aluminiumcomponentsarethenpicked,scrapedorsievedoutofthemixture.From
beginningtoend,theprocesstakesabout30minutes,andmostofthecardboardfibreis
recovered.
TakeAction
• VisitRecyclingNearYou.com.auforinformationaboutcouncilservicesanddrop-off
locationsforcartonsinyourlocalarea.
MoreInformation
TetraPak