Issue 02/2019

Applications
A five year journey taken by
Tetra Pak to enhance renewable polymer sourcing
By:
Julian Fox
Director, Sourcing & Manufacturing
Tetra Pak
Lund, Sweden
Reduced carbon footprint and positive impact
By using renewable materials, Tetra Pak minimises the
use of fossil carbon-based materials. Indeed the company
insists that their renewable materials derive from responsibly
managed sources to ensure that biodiversity, ecosystem
functions and high conservation values are maintained, and
that social benefits are created from responsible material
stewardship.
Since 2014, Tetra Pak has seen significant growth in the
volume of renewable polymer being used, sourced from sugar
cane in Brazil. The renewable polyethylene is used both for the
extrusion coating of liquid packaging board (LDPE) and caps
(HDPE).
Caps moulded from renewable polymers are now deployed
to 37 countries, mainly in US and Europe, and the use of
renewable polymer coating also follows this deployment
pattern.
Traceability to source
Tetra Pak’s position on biobased polymers is that they
shall be wholly constituted from renewable bio-feedstock
and always traceable to source. Independent third-party
verification of biogenic origin of the polymer is through the
certification system, TÜV-Austria ‘OK Biobased’ (formerly
Vinçotte), specifying and validating the amount of biomass in a
biobased product, based on the European standard EN 16785-
1:2015 in which 14 C content is assessed.
The decision not to source ‘mass-balanced’ blends of
biobased and fossil-based polymer was taken as it would
not have produced a significant shift in the polymer industry
towards renewability. It also allows renewable polymer
to be traced directly to the packages. In the region of
35,000 tonnes of renewable polymer is currently sourced
annually by Tetra Pak, and demand is projected to increase
significantly in the medium term.
Sustainable supply chains
The journey to sustainable sourcing of this renewable
polymer began in early discussions with the supplier,
resulting in development of a code of conduct for bioethanol
supply that was designed with the support of
ProForest. Tetra Pak’s strategy for sustainable sourcing
is wherever possible to use internationally-recognised
and credible voluntary sustainability standards, certified
by accredited auditors. This type of certification is already
in place for the supply of liquid packaging board (Forest
Stewardship Council) and for aluminium foil (Aluminium
Stewardship Initiative); finding a relevant sustainability
standard that creates positive impact for environment,
social and economic criteria is the next step for Tetra Pak’s
sourcing of renewable polymers.
www.tetrapak.com
Packs w. bio-based
polymers coating
Billion packs
Figure 1 Volumes of packs and caps
with renewable polymer 2014 to 2018 *
Bio-based caps
Billion caps
% of caps sold
10,0
15,3
0,1 0,4
14,7 14,6
0,7
11,3
6%
2,1
8%
2,7
9%
3,0
10%
3,4
11%
4,2
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
NC&SA, Brazil
E&CA: TR, TB, TBA, TPA
BioPE in Pack Mat:
NC&SA stop Bio lamination on
exports from Monte Mor & Ponta
Grossa.
E&CA over 50 % growth of TR bio
based. Now 10 customers in Europe
with bioPE on TB, TBA, TPA
Bio-Based Caps:
Stable growth, will increase
more because of bio-based offer
expansion on pack mat
NC&SA = Business cluster North, Central & South America
E&CA = Business cluster Europe & Cental Asia
TB = Tetra Brik
TBA = Tetra Brik Aseptic
TPS = Tetra Prisma Aseptik
* The fall in coating volumes from 2017 to 2018 was partly caused by a force majeure in the upstream supply chain
38 bioplastics MAGAZINE [02/19] Vol. 14