Many fresh food packages are made from cardboard with a plastic membrane on the inside and sometimes a plastic screw cap on the top. The plastic membrane is separated from the cardboard in the recycling process. The packaging should therefore be sorted as paper packaging, while the removable plastic screw cap belongs with other plastic packaging. The same thing generally applies for all mixed-material packaging. They should be sorted according to the material that weighs the most.
Paper packaging
Pasta and cereal boxes, drink cartons, sugar packets, paper carrier bags and corrugated boxes are sorted as paper packaging. But throw envelopes and Post-it Notes in your waste bin.
Did you know…
…that paper fibers can be recycled at least seven times? Making packaging from recycled paper fibers also requires 40 percent less energy than packaging made from virgin fibers. Sorting and sending your paper packaging for recycling makes a huge difference for the environment.
How to do it
Tips & trix
Sort milk or juice cartons with a plastic screw cap as paper packaging. Unscrew the cap and place it in the bin for plastic packaging. You do not need to remove the plastic part that is attached to the carton. It will be separated from the paper in the recycling process.
Save space
Tips & Trix
Fold and flatten the paper packaging so it takes up less space. You can also place smaller items inside larger items. An empty milk carton holds at least five folded cartons. If you flatten the cardboard boxes, you won’t have to empty your waste so often. We also avoid unnecessary transportation if our trucks don’t need to empty the bins so often – or transport air.
How recycling works
Have you ever wondered what happens to your paper packaging after you leave it for recycling? Take a look inside the recycling facility!
Frequently asked questions
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All packaging that FTI collects is transported to recycling facilities that recycle as much of the collected material as possible. The material that can’t be recycled is sent for energy recovery and used as a substitute for fossil raw materials in industry.
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Yes, it is a myth that sorting does not matter. All packaging that enters the recycling system is helping to develop recycling schemes, so that even more packaging can become new material in the future. Packaging that is not sent for recycling is incinerated. By sorting your packaging, you are helping to conserve natural resources and contributing to a circular economy. For example, CO₂ emissions are halved when you sort your plastic packaging instead of throwing it in the bin.