ACE outlines ten commitments for sustainable beverage carton industry in 2030 roadmap

16 Mar 2021 --- The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) has released its ten-year roadmap for eco-conscious beverage packaging, supported by alliance members such as SIG Combibloc, BillerudKorsnäs, Elopak, Stora Enso and Tetra Pak.

As wider goals, the ACE members pledge to use only renewable or recycled materials in carton production, integrate more fiber and less plastic, and design packaging for circularity.

In more specific figures, the beverage carton industry commits to reaching a 90 percent collection rate and at least a 70 percent recycling rate by 2030. It also aims to decarbonize its value chain in line with 1.5C science-based targets. 

The last three goals are to:

• Increase carbon sequestration, enhance biodiversity and increase forest growth.
• Meet the highest sustainability sourcing standards for all materials.
• Deliver the lowest carbon footprint packaging.

“The industry has set high and ambitious standards for the next ten years,” says Annick Carpentier, Director General of ACE. 

“We look forward to fostering a dialogue with EU decision-makers to ensure the necessary regulatory conditions are in place to support the industry’s journey toward sustainable packaging.” 

The ACE’s ten wider goals for the beverage carton industry aim for completion by 2030.Calling on the EU
To achieve these goals, supranational authority needs to step in. EU policies on mandatory recycled content requirements, forest stewardship transparency and low carbon incentivization can help drive eco-friendly innovation. 

Other calls include adopting mandatory due-diligence requirements for all materials, not just forest-based ones and recognizing the contribution of low carbon materials to climate neutrality.

Toward the recycling and recycled goals specifically, ACE appeals to the EU to ensure the harmonized implementation of mandatory separation collection of all packaging. 

“The industry continues to invest in innovation and technology to increase beverage carton recycling,” says Marcelle Peuckert, President of ACE. 

“The industry needs an enabling policy framework that will continue to support our investments and innovation over the next decade.” 

Promising strides
With the commitments and targets set in the 2030 Roadmap, the industry will strive for its packaging to continue to actively contribute toward the ambitions of the EU Green Deal.

Focus topics are specifically climate neutrality, circularity, biodiversity and resilient food systems, while “never compromising the health and safety of consumers.”

Last November, ACE reported the recycling rate for beverage cartons in the EU rose to 51 percent in 2019, representing a continued year-on-year increase. This figure rises from 48 percent in 2017 and 47 percent in 2016. 

“This is an opportunity to inform policy-makers at all levels that beverage cartons are a safe, circular and sustainable packaging solution with a low carbon footprint, and how the beverage carton you use at your table can be easily collected and recycled,” Carpentier commented at the time. 

ACE members have recently discussed their sustainable beverage carton strides with PackagingInsights. 

Elopak elaborated on its billionth Natural Brown Board beverage carton sales milestone in a video interview. Meanwhile, Tetra Pak revealed its recycled polymer production for food-contact packaging applications last month.

By Anni Schleicher