Cartons Recycling

It’s a common misconception that your everyday carton is widely recycled.

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Pay-As-You-Go Sack Collections

Leave your sacks outside your premises on the kerb for collection. Price includes cost of collections. Need more sacks? Order more via your online account.
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Wheelie Bin Collection

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Chuck it in

Drink & soup cartons
Long life & plant based milk cartons
Tetra Pak packaging

Please keep out

Liquids
Contaminated packaging
Straws
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Can you recycle Cartons?

It’s a common misconception that your everyday carton is widely recycled. The average carton has layers of different materials that need to be separated before recycling. And for this, a specialist process is required.

To guarantee that your plant-based milk, soup or drinks carton is recycled, set up a cartons recycling service today. And before you know it, your used carton will be making its way back as new paper products or even garden furniture.

Just remember to give them a quick rinse to avoid contamination and we'll take care of the rest!

Why set up a Cartons Recycling collection with First Mile?

Easy switch from your current business waste provider

Flexible business waste and recycling collections up to 3 times a day, 7 days a week

Amazing support available 24/7/365 from our specialist commercial waste collection team

Service Extras, like compliance certificates, weighing and data, and posters

Cartons such as Tetra Pak, Pure-Pak, SIC Combibloc and others are a great packaging solution for food and drinks. That's because they're aseptic, which guarantees contents are given extended shelf-life even without refrigeration, preventing food waste, and because they're strong but lightweight, demand less energy and fuel to transport.

Just in the UK, around 60,000 tonnes of cartons are used every year.

Cartons FAQs

What are cartons made of and are they recyclable?

The average carton is made up of at least three layered materials: 75% paperboard (from wood), 21% polyethylene (a type of plastic) and 4% aluminium (on long-life or aseptic packages only). It's this unique combination that makes carton packaging safe and efficient to store food and drinks, but it also means that recycling cartons require a very special process.

After collection, cartons are taken to a specialist facility where they're soaked into water to separate the paperboard fibres. These are then dried and recycled into new paper products. The recovered plastic and aluminium layers are separated and turned into garden furniture, industrial products and building materials.

The process of recycling cartons isn't the easiest, but it is possible. Still, worldwide, less than 20% of cartons packaging is recycled - we can and must do better. First Mile recycles cartons in the UK, reducing the carbon footprint necessary and ensuring that nothing ends up in a landfill.

What happens to business waste after you've collected it?

First Mile is responsible for collecting and disposing of all your rubbish in a professional, secure, and environmentally-friendly manner in.

Your rubbish and recycling is taken to our award-winning 'sacktory' in North London, where it is first sorted and source separated to ensure as much waste as possible is recycled. Outside of London we also have a facilities in Birmingham, or work with trusted partners Nationwide.

Recycling is then sent on to our specially selected partners who are responsible for recycling specific materials. Any waste that cannot be recycled is sent to generate green energy - nothing is sent to landfill. 

How soon can I set up a waste collection waste disposal?

As soon as you're ready! You can set up a service such as a general waste or mixed recycling collection as soon as you need online, or by getting in touch with one of our experts for a tailor-fit quote

Browse all of our business waste and recycling services, or click here to book a one-off waste collection, rubbish removal or waste disposal.

Why use First Mile?

As one of the leading waste management companies in LondonBirmingham and the UK, First Mile has already helped over 30,000 businesses to reduce their carbon impact with our range of recycling services - with over 200 new businesses signing up each week.

By choosing First Mile, you’ll benefit from a low cost, reliable service, a 24/7 helpdesk, and free monthly reporting. You can view our accreditations above and our certificates and insurances here.

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