Tetra Pak (Lund, Sweden; www.tetrapak.com) said it invested EUR 40 mn last year to boost the recycling capacity for carton packages in Europe, and plans to increase the amount further over the coming years.

The investment includes a project to build a new recycling line for polyAI in Sweden and is supported jointly with Axjo Plastic (Gislaved, Sweden; www.axjoplastic.com) by up to EUR 24 mn of funds. A feasibility study for this project has already started, Tetra Pak said. The plant will have a capacity of 10,000 t/y to recycle polyAI, with volumes sourced from Sweden, Denmark, and Norway, the company added.

PolyAI is the non-fibre component of carton packages and comprises layers of polyethylene and aluminium being used as a barrier against oxygen and humidity to protect the food content in aseptic carton packages.

The facility is to incorporate polyAI into injection moulded plastic products made by Axjo, including cable drums, reels, spools, and plastic storage boxes.

Related: Tetra Pak plans construction of recycling plant with plastics processor Axjo

In Spain, Tetra Pak and Trans-Sabater (Valencia; www.trans-sabater.com) have co-invested over EUR 2 mn and expanded their agreement to increase installed polyAl recycling capacity from 3,000 t/y to 10,000 t/y. In addition, Trans-Sabater’s patented mechanical recycling technology improves the pellet quality compared with traditional processes. 

Also in Spain, Tetra Pak and Alier (Barcelona; www.alier.com) have forged a collaboration that will consolidate Alier as one of the largest post-consumer carton recyclers in Europe, and will help the company become an integrated player capable of processing all materials from used beverage cartons. Using mechanical recycling, the polyAl will be transformed into high-quality pellets. The goal is to recycle over 15,000 t/y of polyAl by 2025, Tetra Pak said.

In the Netherlands, Tetra Pak has invested EUR 1 mn in Recon Polymers’ (Roosendaal; www.reconpolymers.com) polyAl recycling plant in a bid to increase the capacity to at least 8,000 t/y. The material is to come from France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.