They are technically recyclable, but in reality, most of them go straight to landfill where they dont break down.
In Aus, we have the capability to recycle them, but even the ones that are “recycled” end up stored in warehouses until they catch fire, or shipped to China and incinerated there.
Actual recycling is so limited in capacity that production of the waste way outstrips the recycling.
Tetrapak packages are highly sought after in my country because they are close to guaranteed money for recyclers. The one metric ton bail was worth close to 2000€ in 2016; can’t imagine the price today. There companies with specialized hovens that use the paper to fuse out the aluminum.
Why exactly are they guaranteed money? I’m willing to take bets that it’s due to their high energy content when burned. Same applies to plastic waste, by the way. That stuff is loved by incinerator operators, because it burns so well it can be used to add energy to burn waste that otherwise wouldn’t burn well at all.
“Recycling” is largely a euphemism for “we burn that shit, or dump it in a landfill, potentially in some far away country, so you don’t see and smell it”. That’s why “recyclers” love waste that combusts well and has a high energy content. Separation of plastic, paper, and aluminium occurs at the combustion stage, it’s a very simple and straightforward process you can even accomplish with the simplest of equipment at home. You light it on fire and the plastic and paper burn, while the aluminium melts.
They are technically recyclable, but in reality, most of them go straight to landfill where they dont break down.
In Aus, we have the capability to recycle them, but even the ones that are “recycled” end up stored in warehouses until they catch fire, or shipped to China and incinerated there.
Actual recycling is so limited in capacity that production of the waste way outstrips the recycling.
:(
The problem is that it is much cheaper to buy new raw materials, than to recycle household waste.
Tetrapak packages are highly sought after in my country because they are close to guaranteed money for recyclers. The one metric ton bail was worth close to 2000€ in 2016; can’t imagine the price today. There companies with specialized hovens that use the paper to fuse out the aluminum.
Why exactly are they guaranteed money? I’m willing to take bets that it’s due to their high energy content when burned. Same applies to plastic waste, by the way. That stuff is loved by incinerator operators, because it burns so well it can be used to add energy to burn waste that otherwise wouldn’t burn well at all.
Might also be a drinks-carton-specific government scheme. You never know though when people just write “my country.”
And how do they get rid of the Plastic glued to the Aluminium?
In Germany they go mostly to the burning because Recycling isn’t financially viable.
Why would they pay such high prices in your country?
https://www.t-online.de/heim-garten/haushaltstipps/id_73750112/zdf-enthuellt-die-grosse-recycling-luege-von-tetra-pak-und-co-.html
“Recycling” is largely a euphemism for “we burn that shit, or dump it in a landfill, potentially in some far away country, so you don’t see and smell it”. That’s why “recyclers” love waste that combusts well and has a high energy content. Separation of plastic, paper, and aluminium occurs at the combustion stage, it’s a very simple and straightforward process you can even accomplish with the simplest of equipment at home. You light it on fire and the plastic and paper burn, while the aluminium melts.
Do you have a source for that number?
Raw aluminum was 1600USD per ton in 2016. (EUR was about 85-90%, so similar value).
Unless it was being subsidised by the government, that doesn’t make any economic sense?
https://www.statista.com/statistics/675845/average-prices-aluminum-worldwide/