New recycling facility will turn food, beverage cartons into building materials

A partnership between the Carton Council, Elof Hansson USA Inc. and the Upcycling Group will bring a new recycling and manufacturing facility to Lodi, California, by the end of the third quarter of this year.

The facility is designed to turn postconsumer food and beverage cartons into durable, sustainable building materials and, according to the partners, will support regional recycling efforts and help meet what they consider to be a growing demand for sustainable construction materials.

The manufacturing method involves shredding used gable top and aseptic cartons and bonding them into large, durable sheets. The partners say the high-pressure and heat treatment process eliminates the need for water, formaldehyde glues and hazardous chemicals and relies entirely on cartons and other materials collected for recycling.

“The carbon footprint of our boards is at least 80 percent lower than the traditional building materials that we replace,” Upcycling Group co-founder and CEO Jan Rayman says. “No mining, no tree cutting and no water used or contaminated, creating a variety of boards that can be used for roofing, wallboard and other building materials, all produced more sustainably than their traditional counterparts.”

Jason Pelz, vice president of recycling for the Denton, Texas-based Carton Council, says the partners believe the new facility will play a crucial role in supporting California’s efforts to expand recycling by providing a new, regional end market.

“By using collected, sorted and baled cartons from California and bordering states, we are not only making recycling more efficient for West Coast communities, but also ensuring these materials stay in use and out of landfills,” Pelz says.

Once fully operational, the facility is expected to recycle approximately 750 tons, or 1.5 million pounds, of food and beverage cartons each month and employ an estimated 15 people. The facility will source cartons from California and other parts of the West Coast.