Packaging giant Elopak has introduced a drinks carton featuring a mix of recycled and renewable plastic.
The firm said its D-PAK solution was made from paperboard coated with thin layers made up of 10 per cent post-consumer polyethylene and 90 per cent “bio-circular polymers”.
These were sourced from vegetable waste such as used cooking oil, said Elopak.
D-PAK cartons will be available throughout the Nordic countries this month for Orkla Home and Personal Care laundry detergent brands such as Comfort, OMO and Klar.
Emilie Olderskog, director of sustainability at Elopak, said: “We are early movers in offering this mix of circular and bio-circular materials, showcasing our commitment to circularity and to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“Elopak cartons are already a sustainable packaging choice. The inclusion of circular polyethylene helps to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in landfill, supporting the transition to a circular economy where recycled waste materials replace virgin materials.”
Anne Marheim Støren, sustainability director at Orkla Home and Personal Care, said: “Introducing circular polyethylene as a standard allows us to deliver even more robustly on our customers’ sustainability priorities, as well as ensure that our business is proactively prepared for the upcoming EU regulation on recycled content.”
A report last month found that Europe’s capacity to recycle certain plastics had “stagnated”.
