March 23, 2018

76% recycling rate in Germany

Approximately 175,000 tonnes of beverage cartons are produced for the German market every year. This equates to an amount of approx. 2 kilograms per capita per year.
Since the introduction of the Dual Systems framework (1991), almost 3 million tonnes of beverage cartons have been recycled.
This has been achieved through numerous activities by beverage carton manufacturers on a national and international scale. In addition to the promotion of innovative recycling processes, collection and sorting of used beverage cartons throughout Europe has steadily improved.

Ambitious – but achievable

An ambition that pays off! And with the new packaging law coming into force in the coming year, a separate rate for beverage cartons has been fixed. By 2022 at the latest, a recycling rate of 80% is compulsory.

The 7 Lives of Pure-Pak® cartons:

For paper recycling, the long and tear-resistant cellulose fibers of our beverage cartons are optimally suited. As a result of their high quality, these can be recycled up to 6 times. New boxes for pizza, eggs or shoes can be made from the used beverage cartons.

Recycling - How it works!

Beverage cartons are comprehensively covered by the Dual Systems collecting containers: In the sorting facilities, they are seperated from other valuable substances into their own section using an infrared scanner with a high degree of sorting accuracy
In the recycling plants, the first step is to crush the packaging.
IThe chopped-up material dissolves in the 30-metre long metal cylinder, with a diameter of 3 metres. The paper seperates from the aluminium PE coating and the symthetic closures - completely natural and without chemicals.
The pulp is pushed through the small holes in the drum wall, cleaned, thickened and pumped into the paper machine.
After just two and a half hours, the pulp is seperate again and available for reuse, for example in pizza and shoe boxes or egg cartons.
What is left:

Plastic and aluiminium can be used as fuel
Plastic can be used for the production of new plastic products
Aluminium can be used as a hardening agend in ceement

Beverage carton recycling companies in Germany

In Germany, ReCarton, a 100% subsidiary of the Fachverband Kartonverpackungen für flüssige Nahrungsmittel e.V. (FKN - the trade association focused on carton packaging for liquid food products), functions as a contractor for the nine Dual Systems companies now in existence.
ReCarton signs recycling contracts with paper factories and takes responsibility for the management of logistics as well as the delivery of “volume flow records” to state ministries for environmental protection.
Recyclingbetriebe Deutschland ReCarton
Standorte Recyclingbetriebe
Pure-Pak® Sense Website
Beverage Carton Recycling Video
Case St. Helens Farm SuperNutrio
St. Helens Farm SuperNutrio, UK
Product:
Pure-Pak® Sense Cartons

St. Helen’s Farm launches “SuperNutrio”, an innovative cow’s milk with high protein and calcium content, specifically designed to meet the growing health and nutritional needs of customers. Using Elopak’s 1l Pure-Pak® Sense cartons as a sustainable packaging solution, St. Helen’s Farm can make a significant contribution to reducing plastic waste.

Case Pfanner Eistee
Pfanner Eistee, Austria
Product:
Pure-Pak® Sense Aseptic

Together with World Cup winner Manuel Feller, drinks manufacturer Pfanner has launched the raspberry-lemon iced tea in the sustainable Elopak Pure-Pak® carton. The handy 750ml size of the Pure-Pak® carton is ideal for on-the-go consumption – perfect for an active lifestyle.
From 2025, the social media campaign will be expanded to include the topic of deposits in Austria.

Case Weidemilch Gläserne Molkerei
Gläserne Molkerei, Germany
Product:
Pure-Pak®Pure Sense

Brand relaunch at Gläserne Molkerei: a fresh logo, revised packaging design and the “Ehrlich Gut” claim focus on transparency, animal welfare and sustainability. With information links on the packaging about origin, animal welfare and production methods, the company underlines its mission to offer organic food responsibly and transparently. 

Case Humble co. Schweden
The Humble Co., Sweden
Product:
D-PAK™ Carton

Since mid-2024, The Humble Co. has been packaging its optimized mint mouthwash in 500 ml D-PAK™ cartons, which contain 86% less plastic than PET bottles and are recyclable. The sustainable, carton-based packaging is in line with the brand’s sustainability claim and offers consumers a responsible choice.