There was strong progress in 2013 toward its 2020 environmental targets, which focus on developing sustainable products, reducing the environmental footprint across the value chain and increas- ing recycling, reports food processing and packaging solutions business Tetra Pak.
To make packaging products more sustainable, the company is focused on increasing the use of renewable materials from natural resources that grow back when properly managed, such as wood and sugar cane.
Sugar cane is native to warm tropical regions and is used for sugar production. Sugar cane belongs to the grass family, and is the world’s most produced crop.
As a long-term ambition, Tetra Pak plans to develop a fully renew- able package. One of the major steps during 2013 was the global release of the biobased packaging LightCap 30, made from high-density polyethylene that is derived from sugar cane.
Across the portfolio, 1.1-billion packages with such biobased caps hit the market in 2013, almost doubling the number for 2012.
On average, 75% of a Tetra Pak package is paperboard, made from wood. As a Forest Stewardship Council- (FSC-) certified company, Tetra Pak is committed to sourcing from responsibly managed forests and other controlled sources with the aim of using 100% FSC-certified paperboard.
This percentage has risen from 38% in 2012 to 41% in 2013. Meanwhile, 32-billion Tetra Pak packages carrying the FSC label reached consumers last year, which is an increase of more than five-billion over 2012.
Tetra Pak is committed to increasing the recycling of used beverage cartons, focusing on raising consumer awareness, sharing knowledge and expertise, facilitating collection infrastructure and supporting recycling technology development.