CONSUMER FACTSHEET

Busting the Myth: Your cartons really can be recycled!

Millions of people still don’t realise that cartons can be recycled.

As a nation we consume an estimated 57,000 tonnes of paper-based cartons every year – the equivalent weight of a whopping 331 blue whales, or 2.3kg per household. Yet many people continue to put their cartons in their waste bins because they don’t realise they can actually be recycled.

Just three years ago, there was very limited carton collection here in the UK, even though cartons were recycled in large quantities elsewhere in Europe. That situation has changed dramatically, however, with more than 85% of UK local councils now providing carton collection facilities (including over 25% at kerbside) to help you recycle even more.

To find out where you can recycle cartons locally, visit

Here are a few things that you might like to know before you get started…

Did you know that…

  • Squashing your cartons before you recycle them helps keep trucks off the road?

FACT: If you squash your cartons, you can fit 3 times as many cartons in your recycling container, saving on space in your container and the collection vehicle.

  • According to Tetra Pak research[i], refusing to recycle is now deemed a social “faux pas”?

FACT: As many as one third of us now notice if our neighbours don’t put out their recycling sacks and boxes.

  • There is still a common misconception that cartons can’t be recycled, mainly because of the layers within the packaging?

FACT: These layers help to keep products fresher for longer, but cartons can definitely be recycled.

  • Carton recycling facilities are now available at sites across the UK?

FACT: Carton recycling facilities are now available in over 86% of local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales.

What happens to my used cartons?

Recycled cartons are used to make a host of products, some of which might surprise you! Did you know, for example, that your envelopes, plasterboard liner, paper carrier bags, broom handles, roof tiles and even garden furniture could all have been made from recycled cartons?

But where do the cartons go?

When your cartons are collected, they are stored at regional ‘hubs’ until there is enough material to make up a full truck-load. They are then transported to a paper mill in Northern Europewhere they are recycled. This is presently the best available way for the UK to recycle cartons. However, Tetra Pak and the rest of the carton industry under ACE UK (Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment UK) are working with other paper mills and partners in the UK to recycle cartons closer to home.

And that’s not all….

As well as being recyclable, cartons have a host of other advantages:

  • They keep food fresh without the need for preservatives, ensuring that whether we’re transporting milk, juice, or chopped tomatoes, the product reaches you in the best possible condition.
  • They come in a range of shapes and sizes, designed for ease of transportation and storage.
  • You can even buy wine in cartons now!

Carton recycling is as easy as 1, 2, 3…

Now you know that paper-based cartons can be recycled, all you need to do is follow these three very simple steps:

  1. Squash your cartons before recycling (this saves space in your bin and helps keep trucks off the road)
  2. Only put paper-based liquid food and drink cartons in the recycling bins, unless otherwise specified on the bin.
  3. Take care not to contaminate the bins with plastic, card, cans, glass, plastic bags or foil.

It really is that easy to make a difference. For further information, and to find your nearest carton collection facility, visit

Tetra Pak UK & Ireland Bedwell Road, Cross Lanes, Wrexham LL13 0UT Telephone: 0870 442 6600 For more information or help planning your carton recycling PR activity, please contact .

[i] Data gathered from survey carried out by YouGov amongst 2384 adults (501 Londoners) in March 2007.