Cartons/Tetra Brick Recycling (Liquid Paperboard)

Did you know?

• One recycled milk carton contains enough fibre to make about 5 sheets worth of office paper 

Introduction

Milk and juice cartons have been used for more than forty years. Cartons are now being used to package a wide range of foods including: cream, custard, flavoured milks, sauces, detergents, soups, wine, oil and cereal grains.

Manufacture

There are two basic types of cartons: gable top and aseptic bricks.

• Gable top cartons. These cartons are made from a layer of board sandwiched between two layers of very thin plastic. The manufacturers state that the board is "made from the waste products of the sawn timber industry using working forests that are replanted. No Australian native or rainforest timbers are used." Although the contents of these cartons are pasteurised before packaging, the cartons still need to be refrigerated. (Some gable top cartons used for packaging fruit juice have an additional layer of foil and a third layer of plastic. This is to further improve the shelf life and retain flavours.)
• Aseptic bricks. Aseptic bricks (UHT or longlife packs) are a newer type of carton and are made from five layers: three of plastic, one of foil and one of board. The products in the cartons are sterilised before being packaged and, as the cartons fully seal the contents, they do not need to be refrigerated before opening. This results in savings in energy during storage and transport.

Recycling

Liquid paper board cartons are sorted with the other paper and cardboard products and are sent off with them for recycling (see paper recycling for more information).

Sources

Association of Liquidpaperboard Carton Manufacturers, brochures.

Beverage Industry Environment Council, 1996, Recycling Audit and Garbage Bin Analysis, June - September.

Recycling and Resource Recovery Council, 1994, Recycling and Resource Recovery in Victoria, Annual Report.