In a podcast episode, Lisa Ryden from Tetra Pak outlines the company's efforts to lower its environmental impact through its 2021 sustainability report. The discussion covers goals for emissions cuts and recycling improvements amid challenges in the U.S. market. Tetra Pak highlights innovations like plant-based materials to advance sustainable packaging.
Lisa Ryden, who serves as Sustainable Development Director at Tetra Pak and now holds the position of Vice President of Social Sustainability, joined Earth911 for a podcast to delve into the company's 2021 corporate sustainability report. Tetra Pak, the world's largest carton manufacturer, sold 183 billion cartons in 2020, with the brand often simply called a 'Tetra' in various regions.
The company has set ambitious 2030 targets, including a 46% reduction in carbon emissions from 2019 levels and reaching net-zero for Scope 1 and 2 emissions by decade's end. Recent advancements include launching a plant-based carton using renewable materials and shipping 12 billion plant-based caps. Tetra Pak also switched from aluminum liners to a polymer option with a 25% lower carbon footprint. Its CO2 emissions peaked in 2010, and over the last ten years, food waste in manufacturing has dropped by 50%.
Cartons offer a fiber-based alternative to plastic for most beverages and foods, excluding carbonated drinks, and Tetra Pak recently rolled out a solution for cheese packaging. Globally, the firm partners with over 170 recycling processors, achieving a 27% recycling rate for its 2020 cartons. It aims for 70% recycling in Europe by 2030.
However, U.S. recycling lags with just four processing facilities, often requiring shipments of up to a thousand miles, which undermines sustainability. The episode, originally aired on December 13, 2021, provides insights into these ongoing challenges and progress.