Tetra Pak Levels up UAE’s Recycling Infrastructure: Launching First-of-its-kind Carton Packages Recycling Line in Partnership with Union Paper Mills (UPM)
AED2.5 million jointly invested by Tetra Pak and Union Paper Mills to establish the first-of-its kind recycling line for carton packages in the UAE. This innovative recycling line is capable of recycling 10,000 tonnes of carton packages annually, diverting packaging waste from landfills and giving it a new life. The investment supports Tetra Pak’s customers and industry players in the food and beverage value chain in their sustainability journey, as well as to deliver on the upcoming regulatory requirements for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
Tetra Pak, one of the global leaders in the food packaging and processing industry, announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind recycling line for carton packages in the United Arab Emirates, in collaboration with Union Paper Mills (UPM), one of the giant players in the paper recycling industry.
Through a joint investment of AED2.5 (USD0.68) million, the two companies are collaborating to pioneer a recycling line with the capacity to process up to 10,000 tonnes of post-consumer carton packaging material annually, diverting it from landfills and giving it a new life in the form of purposeful recycled products in the UAE. The landmark initiative is a major step toward enhancing the nation’s recycling capabilities while fostering sustainability and circularity in the region.
Tetra Pak paired with its recycling partner UPM, the pioneer recycling company in the UAE, and the first to embrace this innovative initiative to provide a recycling solution for carton packages in the country. In alignment to Tetra Pak’s promise to Protect What’s Good – protecting food, people and the planet, this project aims to drive circularity through the development of an entire recycling value chain that includes collection, sorting and recycling operations.
This new recycling line perfectly encapsulates Tetra Pak’s sustainability goals and strategically aligns with the UAE’s Green Agenda 2030. Public-Private partnerships are essential for the advancement of policies and infrastructure to transform waste management practices. By partnering with UPM, we bring recycling capabilities to process carton packages while being fortunate to closely dialogue with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) in the UAE for the development of regulations towards Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). This harmonisation secures a more efficient recycling operations ecosystem.
Marcelo Piva, Sustainability Director, Middle East and Africa, Tetra Pak
The new line deployed at UPM utilises cutting-edge pulping technology that processes carton packages, separating its high-quality virgin and certified paper fibres from the polymers and aluminum (polyAl) layers. It provides UPM with exclusive access to this valuable raw material, which brings extra quality and strength to their operations, producing paperboard for the packaging industry, ensuring that resources are utilised efficiently.
“We have an exceptional partnership with Tetra Pak and launching this new recycling line takes our collaborations to the next level,” said Shabbir Ibrahim Haideri, Group CEO, M.A.H.Y KHOORY & CO. “Our mission complements Tetra Pak’s commitment to sustainability and circularity, and together, we are significantly advancing the UAE’s recycling infrastructure and contributing to a more sustainable future. We’re privileged to deploy this innovative recycling technology at UPM.”
Taking carton packaging recycling a step further, the polyAI generated during the process is a raw material for the plastics industry, where it can be extruded into profiles for construction and furniture, or pelletised for applications such as 3D printing and injection molding for the production of crates, pallets, and more. Developments for the local recycling of polyAl material in the UAE are already in progress with identified recycling companies.
To date, Tetra Pak deploys pioneering recycling solutions for carton packages worldwide through partnerships with over 200 recycling partners. In 2023, Tetra Pak invested nearly EUR40 (USD42.26) million to accelerate carton packaging recycling worldwide and commits to continue and increase this even further over the coming years to deliver on its ambitions towards circularity. In the same year, around 1.3 million tonnes of carton packages were collected and sent for recycling globally, representing an increase of 7% in volumes compared to 2022 – this makes for a global recycling rate of 27%.
Tetra Pak’s partnership with UPM is a commitment to develop further local recycling capabilities in the UAE while transforming post-consumer carton packages into valuable and high-quality recycled products. This marks a significant milestone in the UAE’s journey toward sustainable development, and further enables collaboration with collection and waste management companies. It also enables the promotion of consumer awareness through educational initiatives.
