The updated fact sheet on beverage cartons is now available
The latest update to our beverage cartons fact sheet is now available on our website. As was already the case in 2023, beverage cartons are considered "reasonably recyclable". In general, the paper fibers of a beverage carton can be recycled well. Recycling of the plastic and aluminum in beverage cartons is still under development.
New recycling plants have been established in Europe for the recycling of the plastic and aluminum from beverage cartons, in order to recycle this part of beverage carton on a larger scale as well. A frequent problem for recyclers of packaging waste from post-separation is the presence of food residues that can cause odor nuisance. This is being worked on by the industry.
Design for recycling
In the updated fact sheet, KIDV has included advice on improving the design for recycling beverage cartons. For example, the size, recognizability and how much product residue is left behind all play a role in recyclability. In order to qualify for the 'good recyclable' assessment, all beverage cartons must be assessed on the basis of the beverage carton recycle check that KIDV will publish later this year.
The new fact sheet is based on the new definition of beverage cartons that is included in the Packaging (Management) Decree from 2023. This reads: 'packaging suitable for packaging liquid food, other than drinking cups, of which paper or cardboard is the main component'. In practice, this new definition means that more packaging can be considered beverage cartons, such as waterproof trays and cups.
The new beverage cartons fact sheet can be downloaded at https://kidv.nl/fact-sheet-beverage-cartons.