Page 32 - Plastics News August 2021

INTERNATIoNAL NEwS

Tetra Pak And Stora Enso Invest In Beverage Detergent Adding To

Carton Recycling In Poland Plastic Pollution

A
s t u d y

conducted
by non-profit
organisation
Plastic Oceans
International
together with
Arizona State
Uni v e rs it y
has found that detergent pods are
contributing to plastic pollution
uropean food packaging company “Collaborative action is key to realising in the US. Researchers Dr Charlie
ETetra Pak has partnered with Stora our ultimate ambition [of] a world where Rolsky and Varun Kelkar concluded
Enso to increase Poland’s beverage all carton packages are collected, recycled that up to 75% of polyvinyl alcohol
carton recycling capacity with a €29.1m and never become litter.” Tetra Pak and (PVA) from laundry and dishwasher
($34m) investment. Stora Enso will invest Stora Enso started their partnership after detergent pods remains untreated in
€17m ($20m) to develop a repulping carrying out a comprehensive feasibility the country. This equates to more
line at its production unit in Ostrołęka study. The investment is in line with than 8,000t of PVA being released
to recover carton fibres. The line is the European Green Deal. Last month, into the environment each year. Dr
expected to increase the company’s Tetra Pak invested €100m ($118m) in Rolsky, who is also Plastic Oceans
capacity to recycle beverage cartons in its production plant in Châteaubriant, International’s Director of Science,
said: “Because of water solubility,
Poland from 25,000t to 75,000t a year. France, to support its transition to PVA turns into a solution, then goes
It is designed to recycle all beverage tethered caps. In a separate development, down the drain, where the chances
cartons in Poland and its neighbouring Stora Enso has introduced Trayforma, a of it fully biodegrading are very low.
countries, including Hungary, Slovakia wood fibre-based material composition “The pods can easily pass through
and the Czech Republic.Tetra Pak designed for microwavable food tray wastewater treatment plants and
and Plastigram will also invest €12m packaging. The material contains no travel to ecosystems beyond.” PVA’s
($14m) to develop an additional line, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and contribution as a pollutant has not
which will use a patented separation very little polypropene (PP). It is claimed yet been fully identified, but existing
technology to pick up and separately to have a lower carbon footprint than research has found that PVA particles
recycle polymers and aluminium. The traditional meal tray products. “Stora can conceal heavy metals and alter gas
two lines are expected to be operational Enso delivers packaging materials exchanges, which could potentially
by early 2023.Tetra Pak Europe and produced from renewable sources. cause shifts of oxygen or carbon
Central Asia president Charles Brand With this development we can advance dioxide. In addition, certain stringent
said: “We are seeking opportunities towards a greater degree of recyclability, conditions must be fulfilled for PVA
across the entire recycling value chain to a critical factor in enabling a circular to be fully biodegradable. Initial
improve how cartons get recycled and to bioeconomy,” says Hannu Kasurinen, results from this study show that
develop solutions that effectively recycle executive vice president of Stora Enso’s these products cannot be completely
all packaging components, including Packaging Materials division. “We are decomposed by bacteria or other
polymers and aluminium. “So I am very delighted to join forces with Tetra Pak in living organisms. The research also
proud of this investment, as well as of what will be another important milestone questions the credibility of the ‘eco-
the strong partnership with Stora Enso towards the fully circular future we friendly’ and ‘fully biodegrade’ claims
that made this advancement possible. expect to realize. made by many pod manufacturers.

32 PLASTICS NEWS AUGUST 2021