Sabarkantha and Tetra Pak create roofs from cartons

PolyAl is the non-fibre component of carton packages, comprising polyolefins and aluminium. These layers act as a barrier against oxygen and humidity to protect the contents of aseptic carton packages. The roofing sheets made from polyAl are lightweight, waterproof, rust-proof, and temperature-regulating, providing a cost-competitive and environmentally sound alternative to traditional materials such as cement and galvanised iron.

According to studies done by Eastern Cargo, these sheets reduce the temperature of any enclosure by five to seven degrees as compared to sheets made from cement sheets (or traditional materials).

“At Sabarkantha Dairy, sustainability is an important part of our ethos, and we are committed to doing what is best for the dairy industry in India. Our collaboration with Tetra Pak on this project exemplifies the potential of recycled materials to make a positive impact,” said Subhashchandra Patel, managing director, Sabar Dairy.

Patel added, “Over the coming months, Sabarkantha Dairy and Tetra Pak will monitor the impact of the temperature reduction property of these new PolyAl roofs on cow health and milk yield, with plans for future projects to further advance sustainability within the dairy sector.”

Cassio Simoes, managing director, Tetra Pak South Asia said, “This initiative demonstrates the importance of recycling and the power of local partnerships to drive sustainable impact. Just think: if all sheds across the country were to adopt recycled materials in this way, we'd not only prevent recyclable waste from ending up in landfills, but also boost entrepreneurship in waste management and recycling. We're excited to team up with Sabarkantha Dairy on this pilot, with an emphasis on long-term sustainability and collaboration.”

Over the 25-year old partnership with Sabarkantha Dairy, Tetra Pak has installed large-capacity liquid milk processing plants at Sabarkantha Dairy, boosting the dairy's production capabilities. Recently, a baby food powder plant has been installed, representing Tetra Pak's largest such facility in India. This partnership encompasses several other installations, such as cheese production facilities and whey powder processing plants.

Tetra Pak cartons are being recycled through an ecosystem, working closely with various stakeholders such as urban local governments, NGOs, brand owners, academia, and consumers. Today, as per a recent report by The Energy & Resources Institute (TERI), roughly one in every two cartons sold in India is recycled. This has been accomplished with the support of over 30 collection partners and eight recyclers. In addition, paper-mills across the country also actively recycle used cartons owing to the high-quality fibre used in making Tetra Pak cartons.

Eastern Cargo has been recycling the polyAl component of cartons since 2016 and supplying polyAl sheets to many other public and private organisations for use in various forms such as bio-toilets, furniture for Anganwadi schools, bus stops and more.