US carton hub opens the door to eco building materials

The Carton Council of North America is building a new recycling plant on the US west coast in partnership with Elof Hansson and Upcycling Group.

The new site will treat post-consumer food and beverage cartons with a processing capacity of 750 tonnes per month. Operations are due to start in the second half of 2025. The final location will be announced this summer.

Sustainable

All packaging will be recycled into sustainable building materials. The manufacturing method involves shredding cartons and then bonding them into large, durable sheets through a high-pressure and heat treatment process.

‘The innovative technology at this future facility comes at a critical time when the building industry is actively seeking methods to decarbonise processes and enhance the circular economy,’ says Jan Rayman, ceo of Upcycling Group.

‘Our zero-waste process eliminates the need for water, formaldehyde glues and hazardous chemicals,’ he adds. ‘This significantly reduces carbon emissions by utilising whole food and beverage cartons to produce boards for various construction applications.’

Recycling boost

‘Our new facility not only validates the value of carton recycling – it will also provide a significant boost to recycling efforts across the west coast,’ comments Jason Pelz, vice president of recycling for the Carton Council. 

‘It will offer local materials recovery facilities a new viable domestic option for their recycled cartons.’