WUR2 - Beverage Cartons

 

In 2013, a pilot project for the recycling of beverage cartons (BC) was launched in the Netherlands. It is investigated how effective FKN can be recycled if they

• are separated from household residual waste
• are collected with plastic packaging waste,
• are separated with paper and cardboards or
• are collected as a separate faction.

The primary function of I.A.R. was the scientific assistance in the field of "Process Engineering of BC-treatment". By comparing the processes in the mechanical-biological treatment plants and sorting plants the yield efficiency of the whole process chain is determined. Through measurements at the test facility of Repa Boltersdorf where BC could be separated in a fiber product and a reject fraction, the fibers of different BC fractions can be recovered.

The aim is to investigate practical, close-to-market approaches which higher the level of recyclability and, if successful reduces the carbon footprint and the greenhouse gasses in the cities. In addition to that, the waste management costs could be reduced.

It has been shown that the efficiency of the collection is largely responsible for the result of a separate collection. Influences on the collection have especially the urbanization of the collection area and the tariff structure. Furthermore, it could be argued that the separation of the household residual waste by automatic sorting with high efficiency (> 90%) is possible.