The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) has announced that it has launched a new platform to drive the industry’s engagement in carton recycling across Europe.
The platform, named EXTR:ACT – Driving Value for mulitmaterial recycling, has been set up by ACE members BillerudKorsnäs, Elopak, SIG Combibloc, Stora Enso and Tetra Pak to foster recycling of beverage cartons, including the non-paper components, such as polymers and aluminium.
With this new platform beverage carton industry takes additional measures to increase recycling of its packages, scale and drive value for recycling solutions and secure their long-term sustainability. It will also coordinate and drive initiatives to enhance beverage carton collection across Europe. Heike Schiffler, President of EXTR:ACT said the new platform reflected the industry’s commitment to the circular economy. “We have come a long way to reach our current recycling rate of 48% in Europe, despite the absence of a specific recycling target for beverage cartons in the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive. With this new initiative and partnerships, we are confident we will be able to achieve a significantly increased collection and recycling rate by 2025,” she said.
Sustainable recycling programmes require collaboration both in and beyond our own industry. EXTR:ACT aims to work in partnerships with stakeholders with similar needs in recycling of composite packaging.
EXTR:ACT will be based in Frankfurt and complement ACE’s work. Along with Heike Schiffler (President), Tetra Pak’s Circular Economy Director Europe, board members are Ola Svending (Vice-President), Stora Enso’s Director Sustainability, Gatis Mazins (Tetra Pak), Tiina Pursula (Stora Enso), Elisa Gasperini (Elopak), Petra Gerber (SIG), Jannicke Jennsjö, and Malin Ljung-Eiborn (BillerudKorsnäs).
