Food & Beverage Carton Recycling

GenKarton focuses on the recycling of food and beverage cartons through separation technology. The goal is to break down the cartons into their individual components, such as cardboard, plastic and aluminum, to enable recycling in various industries. A key component is also the reduction of CO2 emissions from paperboard and plastic.

The overall goal of the collaboration is to establish an efficient recycling process for food and beverage cartons, with a focus on achieving significant reductions in waste, recycling and CO2 emissions. This is important for the long-term preservation of the environment and resources, while creating value through the recycling of materials.

Food and beverage carton recycling

The collaboration includes the development of an advanced food and beverage carton recycling facility. This demonstration plant will be the first on a scale suitable for commercial use. An annual supply of approx. 1,000 tons of cartons from Aalborg and Randers Municipality, which is approx. 3.2% of the total tonnage in Denmark.

The modular design of the plant allows for future expansion in line with the increasing supply of cartons. From the 1,000 tons of cartons, 725 tons of paper fiber, 275 tons of plastic and 10 tons of aluminum will be recovered. The aluminum will be converted into 43 tons of “aluminate” that can potentially be used for wastewater treatment.

Calculations show a payback period for the plant of 4.6 years. Verdis has expressed interest in purchasing the plant at the end of the project and will work with the partner to expand it. The expected CO2 savings of approximately 1,000 tons of cartons per year will be approximately 1,800 tons of CO equivalent, which is equivalent to the emissions from the annual activities of 95 people or driving around the world in a car 450 times.

For businesses and industries, it provides a reliable source of recycled materials, reducing the need for new production and conserving resources. Consumers benefit from a more sustainable product offering, and society as a whole benefits from a reduction in waste and CO2 emissions, contributing to a greener future.