EnviroNews
For Immediate Release: May 30, 2007
Contact:
Kelli Johnson, EnviroMedia Social Marketing, 512-784-8507
Saint Paul Mayor Asks Citizens to Add Juice Boxes, Milk Cartons to Curbside Recycling Bin
The City of Saint Paul, Eureka Recycling and Tetra Pak partner to reach goal of zero-waste
(Saint Paul, MN)—Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman kicked off a press conference today on the front lawn of a local resident’s home to challenge people to start adding milk cartons and juice boxes to their recycling.
“We want Saint Paul to continue to be a model for other cities throughout the nation,” he conveyed as he placed a carton in the homeowner’s recycling bin.
Since January, resident of Saint Paul, Maplewood, Roseville, and Lauderdale have been able to add new items to their recycling bins — milk cartons and juice boxes. Eureka Recycling and Tetra Pak, partners working to get more of this new material recycled, hope the momentum continues.
“Being able to recycle milk cartons and juice boxes helps us accomplish our mission of demonstrating that waste is preventable,” said Susan Hubbard, CEO of Eureka Recycling.
Based on industry numbers, residents in Saint Paul, Lauderdale, Maplewood and Roseville throw more than 550 tons of these cartons in the trash each year. Since January, Eureka Recycling has collected only a portion of what people are using. “We want to collect every juice box and milk carton available to meet the city’s goal of zero waste,” said Hubbard. “We are asking people in the communities we serve, who have these cartons in their home, to add them to the bottles and cans in their recycling bin each week.”
Who Can Recycle the New Cartons
Recycling cartons in these communities was made possible in part through a state grant. In 2006, Tetra Pak, a leading producer of liquid foods packaging such as the milk cartons and juice boxes, received a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, making it possible to recycle this packaging in Minnesota for the first time. This grant created an opportunity for Tetra Pak, in partnership with Eureka Recycling, to effectively process cartons from both residential and commercial sources.
Eureka Recycling provides curbside recycling service to residents in the following cities. These are currently the only communities that can recycle cartons:
- Saint Paul
- Lauderdale
- Maplewood
- Roseville
How and What to Recycle
Most residents refer to this packaging as milk cartons and juice boxes. Known in the industry as aseptic packaging, it keeps liquid food and drinks fresh without refrigeration in a mostly paper carton. In addition to aseptics, regular refrigerated milk cartons (known as gable tops) are also now recyclable. The common types of packaging include Milk cartons, juice boxes, soup and broth cartons, and Soy and rice beverage cartons. However, more and more products, such as wine, are now being packaged in this material.
While Tetra Pak’s cartons are mostly paper, the cartons must be placed with bottles and cans (not paper) in order for the program to be effective. To help residents remember the proper bin, they are encouraged to think of the carton’s function. Since it holds a liquid food or beverage, it should be placed with bottles and cans.
“Tetra Pak is committed to continuing the dialogue about sustainability and working with local governments and local recyclers to establish even more carton recycling programs nationwide,” said Ed Klein, vice president of public and environmental affairs for Tetra Pak. “Our cartons are comprised of between 70 and 81 percent paper, and can be made into paper towel and tissue products.”.
Saint Paul residents Michael Ditmer and Lisa Proechel are avid recyclers, and today’s news conference took place at their home. “When my kids were younger, I didn’t let them have juice boxes because they weren’t recyclable. And while reduction is certainly the best, at least there is a recycling option for these now,” said Proechel. “We’re committed to putting everything we can in our recycling bin, so we’re thrilled about this addition!”
“It’s rewarding to see this program take off,” said Tina Patton, market development specialist for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. “We know we will see positive environmental results, and are especially pleased to see that Tetra Pak and Eureka Recycling are adding an education component to reach even more people.”
Recycling Trucks Get New Look
Today’s news conference featured visual demonstrations including a map of which communities the program serves, examples of cartons people should recycle, and a sneak peek at one of Eureka Recycling’s trucks. Eureka Recycling’s fleet of trucks will have specially branded magnets to promote recycling of the cartons. Additional educational efforts include advertising in grocery stores; the Guide to Recycling in select grocery stores and community locations; and new education literature used as a leave behind in residents’ recycling bins.
Residents can also call a recycling hotline at 651-222-SORT for additional information.
About Eureka Recycling
Eureka Recycling is a nonprofit organization that specializes in recycling and waste reduction and has managed Saint Paul’s recycling program for nearly two decades. Its mission is to reduce waste today through innovative resource management and to reach a waste-free tomorrow by demonstrating that waste is preventable not inevitable.
About Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak, the world leader in complete packaging and processing systems for food products, was founded in 1952 in Sweden and now operates in more than 165 markets around the globe. Tetra Pak Inc., the U.S and Canada market company, was established in 1984 and is headquartered in Vernon Hills, Illinois.
Tetra Pak works for and with its customers to provide preferred processing and packaging solutions for food. The company applies its commitment to innovation, its understanding of consumer needs and its relationships with suppliers to deliver these solutions, wherever and whenever food is consumed. Tetra Pak is committed to making food safe and available, everywhere. Tetra Pak believes in responsible industry leadership, creating profitable growth in harmony with environmental sustainability and good corporate citizenship. Our cartons are 70-81% paperboard which comes from wood, a natural and renewable resource grown in responsibly managed forests. Tetra Pak packages use less material and are among the lightest on the market, which makes them cost-effective for manufacturing, shipping and storing.
Tetra Pak Inc. has more than 1,000 employees, spread across the US and Canada. In 2006, 3,4 billion liters of product were delivered in Tetra Pak packages in the two countries and Puerto Rico in more than 8 billion packages.