Tetra Pak cartons should be squashed

Since July last year Wiltshire Council have provided bins for waxed Tetrapak cartons which hold fruit juice, milk and soups. In the first year over 23 tonnes have been recycled which works out at around 1.1 million cartons. Mr Toby Sturgis, cabinet member for waste and the environment, said: “This has diverted a significant amount of waste that would otherwise be buried in the ground.” The carton industry estimates that annually in Wiltshire some 23 million cartons will be used so there is still plenty of scope for more recycling. Raw materials from cartons can be turned into paper bags, envelopes, and plasterboard liner. They have to be collected separately because the waxy material which makes them watertight also makes them unsuitable for recycling with cardboard. But before throwing them into the bin the cartons should be squashed. Tetra Pak’s recycling operations manager, Fay Dashper, said: ““We were surprised to discover how much difference squashing cartons could make - at least three times more cartons can be included in recycling bins, helping keep trucks off the road." Video Competition To encourage people to wash and squash their cartons, Tetra Pak has launched a video competition to search for the most original way to squash empty cartons. The ‘How do you squash yours?’ competition sees Tetra Pak challenge recyclers to film their most imaginative ways of flattening their cartons. The winning entrant - voted for by the public later this year - can choose either a ‘chance of a lifetime’ place on an international environmental adventure - from a wildlife conservation trip in South Africa to volunteering with turtles in Panama - or an Eco TV, 50 DVDs and a supply of wine or smoothies in Tetra Pak cartons. To enter the ‘How do you squash yours?’ competition or view amusing videos already created by other entrants, visit tinyurl.com/pmzzdj