As food production is expected to grow by 70% to satisfy global demand, packaging has come to play a pivotal role in keeping food safe and available for the growing number of consumers around the world.
Leading food processing and packaging solutions company Tetra Pak has inaugurated a solution to recycle carton packages in Riyadh, the first such initiative in Saudi Arabia. The Swedish giant’s initiative introduces state-of-the-art recycling equipment co-partnered by Obeikan Paper Industries ((OPI) and Saudi Top Plastic Factory (STP).
The project aims at serving all the ambitions of the National Center for Waste Management (MWAN) in Saudi Arabia, as well as being in line with the sustainability vision of Saudi Vision 2030. With this, Tetra Pak continues to work in the Arabian area towards reducing the impact of packaging as part of its manufacturing and producing strategy and reducing the impact on nature. As an inspiration for the Arabian region, Tetra Pak recycled 49 billion packs in 2021, globally.
Dr. Abdullah Alsebaei, CEO of MWAN comments, “Considering our nation’s rapid industrialization, population growth, and urbanization leading to increased levels of waste, our focus is on sustainability by adopting integrated solutions to manage waste and to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste.”
“We have formed the first-of-its-kind recycling partnership with Obeikan Paper Industries to recycle paper from used cartons,” says Tetra Pak Managing Director Niels Hougaard. He expects to recycle around 8,000 tons of waste annually.
In addition to that, a new recycling partnership with STP was formed to recycle the remaining plastic and aluminum compound residue resulting from OPI carton recycling. STP recycles around 50,000 tons of plastics annually.
“We are delighted to be part of this partnership in a first-of-its-kind initiative to recycle used beverage cartons in Saudi Arabia. By collecting and recycling juice and milk cartons, OPI is a main enabler to the success of this new recycling initiative,” says OPI General Manager Khaled Khazaal.
Adding to the collaboration vital for de-carbonisation and environmental protection, Bassel Einashar, Manufacturing General Manager at OPI’s Paper and Board division says, “ The initiative has a been a great business opportunity, giving us the advantage of working with a new raw paper material. While most of the waste collection in Saudi Arabia is focused on old containers and corrugated cartons, this new partnership with carton package recycling technology allows us to make a real contribution from diverting cartons from landfills.”
