Beverage cartons for recycling

All cartons and paper cups collected at the recycling banks will be taken to ACE UK’s specialist facility near Halifax

Packaging companies have opened major new carton and paper cup recycling facilities for residents in Cornwall.

Seven new household waste recycling centres have been launched in a partnership between the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE UK) and Cornwall Council.

An estimated 450 tonnes of beverage cartons are put out for waste collection each year in the county.

The new banks have been supplied by ACE UK, which has members including members Tetra Pak, Elopak and SIG Combibloc, in a two-year pilot funded by the organisation.

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All cartons and paper cups collected at the recycling banks will be taken to ACE UK’s specialist facility near Halifax.

“People have been asking about recycling food and beverage cartons for some time, so I’m pleased ACE UK are working with us to provide this service at seven of our HWRCs,” said Cornwall Council portfolio holder for environment and public protection, Sue James.

“We know from surveys that residents want to be able to recycle more. While we can’t include this as part of our current kerbside collections, we are asking the bidders for the 2020 kerbside collection contract to consider collecting additional materials, such as these cartons.”

Mandy Kelly, senior recycling manager at ACE UK, said: “It’s great news that food and drink cartons and paper cup recycling has now come to Cornwall. From our conversations with the council we know residents are keen to recycle cartons, so we are extremely pleased to install bring banks at these seven sites - and of course all cartons and cups collected will be recycled here in the UK.”