The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) UK has shown that the proportion of local authorities collecting beverage cartons for recycling has hit 60 per cent.
This means there has been a 15-fold increase on 2006 levels when just 4 per cent of councils collected the cartons at the kerbside.
When ACE UK’s own bring bank system is included, 91 per cent of local authorities now collect cartons for recycling.
Secondary Commodity Markets 2015 – the conference for buyers and sellers of recyclable materials takes place on 3 March 2015 in London. Find out more here
The Norfolk Waste Partnership was the latest area to join the scheme with its county council and seven district council bringing the total percentage of councils collecting cartons at the kerbside up to 60 per cent.
A year ago, ACE UK and Sonoco Alcore opened the UK’s only beverage carton recycling facility at Stainland, West Yorkshire. It is capable of processing 25,000 tonnes of cartons per year, and currently receives cartons from 38 per cent of councils.
ACE UK chief executive Richard Hands said: “It is great news that the Norfolk Waste Partnership is now collecting beverage cartons at kerbside, taking us to the 60 per cent milestone.
“Our members – Tetra Pak, Elopak and SIG Combibloc – are extremely pleased that their strategy to increase kerbside collection and make it easier for residents to recycle cartons is paying dividends.”
