The total recovery rate (recycling and energy recovery) reached 74%.
Annick Carpentier, Director General of ACE, the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment, said: âOur sector is committed to supporting and promoting beverage carton recycling, and we are happy to report a continued year-on-year increase.â
There are still wide differences in recycling achievements across EU Member States. In those that efficiently separate packaging waste collection, beverage carton recycling reaches up to 70%. Following a voluntary initiative to collect cartons in 2015, the Netherlands saw a substantial increase in recycling rates.
âRecycling of milk or juice cartons used in homes across Europe can be increased further. ACE suggests collecting all packaging separately, combined with a ban on landfilling packaging waste. Industry has been focusing on innovation in recycling solutions for our packaging, which is made of responsibly sourced, low-carbon renewable materials. Legal obligations such as these would provide much needed security for investment in recycling infrastructure,â said Carpentier.
