• Tetra Pak and dairy company Valio are launching a new tethered cap containing 30% certified recycled polymers. This is the first cap of its kind to be sold in Northern Europe and represents an innovation in recycling.

• The use of certified recycled plastic in the production of tethered caps is a breakthrough in both companies' efforts to promote circularity.

11 January 2024: Tetra Pak has expanded its range of sustainable packaging solutions to include the C38 Pro™ — a new product that contains certified recycled polymers. This re-closable, securely attached cap is designed not to be separated from the packaging, thereby reducing environmental pollution.

Valio, Finland's leading dairy company, is the first food producer in Northern Europe to use C38 Pro™ in its packaging, which contains 30% certified recycled polymers. These caps will be used with Tetra Top^® packages for Valio PROfeel^® protein drinks and Latte coffee drinks.

“We are very proud to be pioneers of circularity. This new solution meets our packaging sustainability goal: by 2030, all single-use product packaging that we produce and sell will be made from renewable or recycled materials. We are confident that this will strengthen our position in the dairy market,” says Juhana Pilkama, Packaging Development Manager at Valio.

The first with certified recycled polymers

In 2022, Tetra Pak was the first carton packaging manufacturer to offer solutions using certified recycled plastic. The certified recycled polymers used in Tetra Pak carton caps, tops and coatings are produced according to the ISCC chain of custody attribution method. This means that the plastic is made from a mix of recycled and non-recycled materials, but the corresponding mass of recycled material is tracked throughout the Tetra Pak supply chain.

“ISCC certification ensures that plastic waste has been recycled at the beginning of the value chain. The source of the recycled materials is mixed plastic waste from post-consumer materials, certified through ISCC,” says Anna Ilomäki, Sales Director at Tetra Pak in Finland. “Certified recycled polymers are a key step in Tetra Pak's approach to circularity, which includes minimising reliance on fossil resources, responsible sourcing of raw materials, designing packaging for improved recycling and reduced waste, as well as building collaborations to develop effective collection and recycling infrastructure worldwide.”

What does “certified recycled polymers” mean?

Plastic waste is chemically recycled (and therefore complies with food safety regulations). Plastic manufacturers recycle it together with virgin plastic and reuse it in the manufacturing process for new carton packaging.

• This mixed plastic is supplied to selected Tetra Pak^® manufacturing plants that are certified according to the third-party chain of custody attribution method (mass balance).

• Therefore, Tetra Pak^® carton packages produced at these plants may feature a third-party certification label confirming that certified recycled polymers have been used in the final product.

New directive on tethered caps

The EU Directive on single-use plastics stipulates that single-use beverage containers made of plastic will only be permitted on the market if their caps or lids are attached. This directive, which comes into force in July 2024, is an integral part of the EU-wide plastics strategy and an important element of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan.

About Tetra Pak

Tetra Pak is the world’s leading food processing and packaging solutions company. Working closely with our customers and suppliers, we provide safe, innovative and environmentally sound products that each day meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people in more than 160 countries. With more than 25,000 employees around the world, we believe in responsible industry leadership and a sustainable approach to business.

Our promise, “Protects what's good™,” reflects our vision and commitment to making food safe and available everywhere.