The Carton Council of North America, Elof Hansson, and Upcycling Group have partnered to open a new facility in the second half of 2025 that will transform post-consumer food and beverage cartons into sustainable building materials, creating another market for recycled cartons.
The initiative combines the environmental and economic benefits of carton recycling with market demands to create more sustainable building products. 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 decarbonize processes and enhance the circular economy," said Jan Rayman, co-founder and chief executive officer of Upcycling Group. "Our zero-waste process, which eliminates the need for water, formaldehyde glues and hazardous chemicals, significantly reduces carbon emissions by utilizing whole food and beverage cartons to produce boards for various construction applications."
"This new facility not only validates the value of carton recycling but will also provide a significant boost to recycling efforts across the West Coast, offering local materials recovery facilities a new viable domestic option for their recycled cartons," said Jason Pelz, vice president of recycling for the Carton Council.
The precise location of the proposed facility is expected to be announced in the summer of 2024. Upon completion, the facility is projected to use an average of 750 tons (1,500,000 pounds) of recycled cartons per month, keeping these packages in the circular economy and out of landfills.
