Tetra Pak, a global leader in food packaging and processing industry, announced the launch of a 'first-of-its-kind' recycling line for carton packages in the United Arab Emirates, in collaboration with Union Paper Mills (UPM), a leading paper recycling company.
As per the press statement, through a joint investment of AED 2.5 million, the two companies are collaborating to pioneer a recycling line with the capacity to process up to 10,000 tonnes of post-consumer carton packaging material annually, diverting it from landfills and giving it a new life in the form of purposeful recycled products in the UAE. The landmark initiative is a major step towards enhancing the nation’s recycling capabilities while fostering sustainability and circularity in the region.
Tetra Pak paired with its recycling partner UPM, the pioneer recycling company in the UAE, and the first to embrace this innovative initiative to provide a recycling solution for carton packages in the country. In alignment to the Tetra Pak’s promise to Protect What’s Good – protecting food, people and the planet, this project aims to drive circularity through the development of an entire recycling value chain that includes collection, sorting and recycling operations.
"This new recycling line perfectly encapsulates Tetra Pak’s sustainability goals and strategically aligns with the UAE’s Green Agenda 2030", said Marcelo Piva, Sustainability Director, Middle East and Africa, Tetra Pak. "Public-Private partnerships are essential for the advancement of policies and infrastructure to transform waste management practices. By partnering with UPM, we bring recycling capabilities to process carton packages while being fortunate to closely dialogue with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) in the UAE for the development of regulations towards Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). This harmonization secures a more efficient recycling operations ecosystem.”
The new line deployed at UPM utilizes cutting-edge pulping technology that processes carton packages, separating its high-quality virgin and certified paper fibers from the polymers and aluminum (polyAl) layers. It provides UPM with exclusive access to this valuable raw material, which brings extra quality and strength to their operations, producing paperboard for the packaging industry, ensuring that resources are utilized efficiently.
We have an exceptional partnership with Tetra Pak and launching this new recycling line takes our collaborations to the next level” , said Shabbir Ibrahim Haideri, Group CEO, M.A.H.Y KHOORY & CO. "Our mission complements Tetra Pak’s commitment to sustainability and circularity, and together, we are significantly advancing the UAE’s recycling infrastructure and contributing to a more sustainable future. We’re privileged to deploy this innovative recycling technology at UPM.
Taking carton packaging recycling a step further, the polyAI generated during the process is a raw material for the plastics industry, where it can be extruded into profiles for construction and furniture, or pelletized for applications such as 3D printing and injection molding for the production of crates, pallets, and more. Developments for the local recycling of polyAl material in the UAE are already in progress with identified recycling companies.
According to the press statement, to date, Tetra Pak deploys pioneering recycling solutions for carton packages worldwide through partnerships with over 200 recycling partners. In 2023, Tetra Pak invested nearly €40 million to accelerate carton packaging recycling worldwide and commits to continue and increase this even further over the coming years to deliver on its ambitions towards circularity. In the same year, around 1.3 million tonnes of carton packages were collected and sent for recycling globally, representing an increase of 7% in volumes compared to 2022 – this makes for a global recycling rate of 27%.
Tetra Pak's partnership with UPM is a commitment to develop further local recycling capabilities in the UAE while transforming post-consumer carton packages into valuable and high-quality recycled products. This marks a significant milestone in the UAE's journey toward sustainable development, and further enables collaboration with collection and waste management companies. It also enables the promotion of consumer awareness through educational initiatives.