With a little effort, used milk cartons can be given a new lease of life
What do you do with an empty milk carton after drinking a carton of milk? Throw it in the trash?
The final way out is to mix it up in a pile of household waste, or be transported to a garbage incineration plant to be burned, or sent to a landfill to be buried. In fact, there is a better way out for waste milk cartons - a road to "rebirth".
"Milk cartons have a short life cycle and are generally discarded after one use, which not only consumes a lot of resources, but also causes a lot of burden to the ecological environment." Qian Mingyu, director of the environment and circular economy department of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), said that a small step for the individual is a big step for society. We look forward to letting more people know about the concept of "milk carton recycling" and participate in it to make "boxes" a new lease of life.
The small milk carton has a lot of energy, and the 6-layer material has a high recycling value
Have you ever looked closely at milk cartons?
Have you ever wondered why a material like "paper" can hold a sufficient amount of milk?
In fact, packaging such as milk cartons and beverage cartons, which are common to the public, has a scientific name "beverage paper-based composite packaging", which is an item with high recycling value.
Don't look at it as thin and small, but from the inside to the outside, there are six layers of material composite. The first layer, polyethylene, is effectively moisture-proof; The second layer, paper, makes the packaging more stable; third layer, polyethylene, viscous layer; The fourth layer, the aluminum foil layer, blocks bacteria, oxygen and sunlight; fifth layer, polyethylene, viscous layer; The sixth layer, polyethylene, is the beverage inside the sealed package.
Among them, cardboard, as the main body of the structural material, can make the packaging stable and strong;Polyethylene to repel water and prevent external moisture; aluminiumThe foil layer is used to block light, oxygen and odor to achieve long-term freshness. All threeThe ratio of materials is about 70:25:5.
This is where the recycling value of paper-based laminated packaging for beverages comes in.
"For example, the paper used in beverage paper-based composite packaging, its fiber length is very suitable for recycling, as long as it enters the right recycling path, the paper fiber in paper-based composite packaging can be recycled into cardboard boxes, paper towels and other products." Qian Mingyu told reporters.
At the same time, the plastic and aluminium in this type of packaging also have considerable recycling value.
According to the Ministry of Ecology and Environment's "zero-waste city" construction special study "Paper-plastic Aluminum Composite Packaging Materials Precise Separation and Recycling Technology", for every 1 ton of beverage paper-based composite packaging recycled, 750 kg of recycled pulp, 200 kg of recycled plastic, and 50 kg of recycled aluminum powder can be obtained, which saves resources equivalent to protecting 12 trees, saving 0.8 tons of oil and reducing 3 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Milk cartons can also be recycled into building materials such as outdoor flooring and furniture panels. During the Shanghai World Expo, milk carton recycling was carried out in 12 districts of the city, more than 10 million milk beverage cartons with a capacity of 250 ml were recycled, and 1,000 milk carton benches were made and placed in places such as Baosteel Grand Stage, No. 1 Dock and Yule Bay.
In Beijing's Olympic Forest Park, there are also milk carton benches recycled from more than 123,900 discarded Tetra Pak packages, which are beautifully designed and contain advanced environmental protection concepts, which have played a good role in demonstrating and driving the effect.
According to data, 20 waste milk cartons can be made into a small pen holder, 200 waste milk cartons can be made into a small stool, and 2000 waste milk cartons can be made into a small table.
The technology is mature, the quantity is limited, and the potential for milk carton recycling is limitless
Qian Mingyu said: "In fact, the technology of domestic milk carton recycling has been relatively mature, whether it is paper-plastic aluminum separation, or Caile board technology, the recycling of this kind of packaging waste can be realized. ”
Despite the mature technology and accessible recycling application scenarios, the inability to ensure sufficient recycling quantities has become a key constraint affecting the milk carton recycling industry and the development of enterprises.
"It's imperative to raise awareness and get involved in the concept of 'milk carton recyclability'." Qian Mingyu said.
The data also shows that there is still a lot of room for improvement in the recycling of paper-based composite packaging for beverages such as milk cartons in China. Liang Chenyang, consultant of GIZ's environmental and circular economy team, told reporters that according to the latest statistics, the recycling rate of China's beverage paper-based composite packaging is about 36.8%, and the recycling rate of PET bottles, which are also recyclables (such as common beverage bottles, mineral water bottles, etc.), is currently more than 94%.
Qian Mingyu said that as an area with relatively high industrial concentration, production and consumption enterprises have unique mobilization and demonstration significance for the recycling of beverage paper-based composite packaging.
First, more companies can be encouraged to participate in the recycling of milk cartons. In 2020, the National Development and Reform Commission, together with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Commerce, and the State Administration for Market Regulation, drafted and formulated the Implementation Plan for the Extended Producer Responsibility System for Beverage Paper-based Composite Packaging (Trial), which clarifies that producers of paper-plastic aluminum composite packaging such as waste milk cartons have four main extended responsibilities: ecological design, strengthening information disclosure, standardizing recycling, and publishing performance reports. However, many companies and manufacturers that use milk cartons do not have corresponding responsibility requirements. "Focusing on milk carton recycling can urge more companies to get involved." Qian Mingyu said.
Second, for consumers, milk cartons are common packaging waste in daily life, and their commonness and convenience in disposal can allow people to participate more deeply in garbage classification. "Although the milk carton category is small, it can also influence people's awareness, drive people's actions, and help change society."
Extensive mobilization and active participation
What are the standard steps for recycling a milk carton?
The first step is to empty after drinking; The second step is rinsing; The third step is to set off the corners; The fourth step is to flatten the package; The fifth step is to deliver and recycle.
Why?
Liang Chenyang said that rinsing is to remove excess milk and prevent odors, while flattening is to reduce space and facilitate transportation.
However, instead of the more complex "standard" recycling process, the first step in public engagement is to take action and throw milk cartons into recyclables bins.
"Only when the recycling rate is improved, does it mean that its economic value or environmental benefits can be further exerted and reflected." Liang Chenyang said.
At present, many companies have also widely mobilized consumers to participate in the recycling of packaging boxes by setting up recycling channels and collecting empty boxes for gifts.
The reporter learned that OTALY opened a recycling channel covering 78 cities across the country on WeChat applets and Alipay, and also contacted catering or retail brand stores for on-site recycling.
As the world's leading provider of food processing and packaging solutions, Tetra Pak also participates in school and community milk carton recycling education activities or recycling practices through environmental organizations and partners. We work with partners in the recycling value chain to continuously improve the recycling and resource utilization of beverage paper-based composite packaging.
With a single effort, milk cartons can be given a new lease of life. It is expected that as the concept of sustainable development takes root in the hearts of the people, a sustainable lifestyle will become the new normal.
