An innovative full-cycle line for recycling beverage cartons (Tetra Pak and analogs) was launched at the Zmievskaya Paper Factory in the Kharkiv region. Thanks to this modernization, the production capacity of the line for the beverage cartons' PolyAL component recycling has tripled. From now the factory will be able to process up to 15 thousand tons of such cartons and produce more than 4 thousand tons of high-quality PolyAL pellets annually. For the first time in Ukraine, the full recycling of all such packaging components will occur at one industrial site, thus bringing the national waste management industry closer to EU standards.
Zmievskaya Paper Factory and Tetra Pak, a world leader in the production of packaging and equipment for the food industry, were co-investors in the project. Total investments amounted to about 1.7 million euros. This partnership reaffirms the commitment of both companies to operate in a circular economy.
Since 2009, the Zmievskaya factory has been recycling and giving second life to the fiber component of carton used in Tetra Pak containers and analogs. The factory’s longtime partner, Ranok publishing house, uses recycled paper from such packaging to print books. Director of the publishing house Viktor Kruglov noted that about 50% of printed products are made from recycled paper, and the company plans to increase this to 70% through the implementation of publishing projects in cooperation with responsible business and public organizations.
Due to the modernization of the line and the installation of modern equipment from European manufacturers PallMann and WIPA, here at the Zmievskaya Paper Factory, secondary PolyAL pellets will be produced from a mixture of polyethylene and aluminum. This high-demand material is widely used in manufacturing a variety of products—garden furniture, finishing panels, pipes, household items—and can also be used as an additive in the production of plastic products (paving slabs, engineering hatches, storm drains) and road surfaces. The material’s purity reaches 98% due to a multi-stage purification system. Products made from recycled PolyAl granules can be recycled again.
The infrastructure for recycling of beverage cartons in Ukraine has been dynamically developing since 2009, and the recycling volumes are growing every year. In 2020, 5950 tons were recycled (more than 130 million units of cartons), which amounted to more than 31% of the total volume of this category of cartons produced in the country (in 2019 4670 tons were recycled, respectively). Since 2009, more than 40 thousand tons of Tetra Pak beverage cartons and analogs have been recycled in Ukraine.
“Facilitating the development of the infrastructure for collecting and recycling Tetra Pak cartons around the world is an important part of the company's sustainability strategy. Co-investment in this modernization in Ukraine is part of the company's global strategy for the development of recycling facilities. We also support implementation of the extended producer's responsibility principle in Ukraine and educational projects that promote separated waste collection, the importance of sustainable development, and a circular economy for our planet,” said Igor Cherevatov, CEO of Tetra Pak in Ukraine.
The project in the Kharkiv region was implemented in record time, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, and the modern equipment from European suppliers installed at the enterprise complies with the highest world standards.
About Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak is a world leader in packaging and equipment for the food industry. In close collaboration with its customers and suppliers, the company offers safe, innovative, and sustainable products that meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people every day in more than 160 countries. With over 25,000 employees worldwide, the company believes in responsible industry leadership and a sustainable approach to business. The PROTECTS WHAT’S GOOD™ commitment reflects its vision that food must be safe and accessible everywhere.
Detailed information about Tetra Pak can be found on their website http://www.tetrapak.com/.
About Zmievskaya Paper Factory
Zmievskaya Paper Factory (Zmiev city, Kharkiv region) produces several grades of paper made of recycled materials. The factory processes about 12 thousand tons of waste paper annually, including beverage cartons, and employs about 200 people. In 2020, the factory was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), confirming that paper products are produced from sustainably managed forests or from recycled materials. Since paper production has existed in Zmiev for more than 100 years, the Paper Museum was created at the factory with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Fund, and its virtual version is on the company's website. Thus, the Zmievskaya paper mill is an important model of innovative technologies for secondary paper recycling and an important link in the development of a circular economy in Ukraine.
Detailed information about Zmievskaya Paper Factory can be found on their website https://zpf.company/
Contact for feedback:
Ekaterina Volkova,
Communications Director
Tetra Pak
ekaterina.volkova@tetrapak.com
Anna Tarantsova
Tetra Pak council for packaging waste and sustainability issues in Ukraine +380674666355
