New recycling points for food and drink cartons

Press release from Shropshire Waste Partnership - 20 August 2007

New recycling points for food and drink cartons

People across Shropshire can now recycle even more of their household waste, following the introduction of food and drink carton recycling facilities in towns across the county.

Each year, UK beverage carton manufacturers produce around 55,000 tonnes of paper-based cartons for milk, juice, sauces and other liquid foods and drinks. This equates to more than 2kg per household which could be recycled instead of thrown in the rubbish bin.

Now, working with Tetra Pak Ltd and the carton industry body ACE UK, Shropshire Waste Partnership has set up a number of collection points to which people can take their empty cartons to be recycled. The collection points are
in Shifnal, Bridgnorth, Wem, Whitchurch, St Martin’s, Oswestry, Cleobury Mortimer, Church Stretton, Ludlow, Craven Arms, and Shrewsbury. (see note 1)

Councillor Joyce Barrow, Chairman of Shropshire Waste Partnership, said: “I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to make it possible for people across the county to recycle their food and drink cartons, instead of throwing them in the bin.

“Across Shropshire we’re recycling more household waste than ever, but we must continue to improve, and I hope this fantastic new service will help to further increase the amount of rubbish that is recycled in the county.”

The beverage cartons can be recycled into a number of different products, from plasterboard liner to high-strength paper bags and envelopes.

ENDS

For further information, call Joy Blizzard, Waste Initiatives Officer, Shropshire County Council, on (01743) 253168.
For media contact, call Gareth Proffitt, Communications Officer, on (01743) 252828.

Additional information

(1) The carton collection points are located at:

Bridgnorth district
Shifnal – Aston Street Car Park
Bridgnorth – Smithfield car park, High Town
Bridgnorth – Barnsley Lane Household Recycling Centre

North Shropshire district
Wem – Lorry Park, off High Street
Whitchurch – Household Recycling Centre, Waymills Industrial Estate.

Oswestry borough
St Martin’s – Stan’s supermarket, Overton Road
Oswestry – Somerfield supermarket, Oswald Road
Oswestry – Maesbury Road Household Recycling Centre

South Shropshire district
Cleobury Mortimer – Lacon Childe School
Church Stretton – Lutwyche Road car park
Ludlow – South Shropshire Leisure Centre
Craven Arms – Household Recycling Centre, Craven Arms Business Park

Shrewsbury
Household Recycling Centre, Battlefield Enterprise Park

Shrewsbury & Atcham Borough Council has also introduced collection facilities at: Asda, Old Potts Way; Co-op, Radbrook Green; Sainsbury’s, Meole Brace Retail Park; Frankwell Car Park, by the Guildhall; Minsterley Parish Hall

(2) Some examples of the food and drinks cartons that can be recycled are shown in the attached image.

(3) Shropshire Waste Partnership is responsible for managing household waste on behalf of Bridgnorth District Council, North Shropshire District Council, Oswestry Borough Council, Shropshire County Council and South Shropshire District Council.

(4) ACE UK is the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment.

(5) The Carton Recycling Process

Beverage cartons consist of up to three main materials:

- Paperboard (typically 70-90%)
- Low-density polyethylene (typically 10-25%)
- Aluminium foil (about 5%, only in long life or aseptic packages)

Baled cartons are dropped into a pulper, similar to a giant domestic food mixer, filled with water and pulped for around 20 minutes. This delaminates the packaging, breaking down the package to produce a grey-brown slurry. The aluminium foil and polyethylene are separated from the fibre, which is recovered to make new paper products.

In the UK, the recovered fibre is used to manufacture new high-strength products such as paper carrier bags and envelopes.

The non-fibre remainder, mainly polyethylene and a smaller amount of aluminium, have been used in other countries in a number of applications including garden furniture, playground design, roofing materials and for energy recovery in municipal incinerators and cement kilns.