Wheelie Bin Collection
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Can you recycle Cartons?
It’s a common misconception that your everyday carton is made from cardboard and 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?
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?
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.
Why can't I put coffee waste in the bin?
Why can't I put coffee waste in the bin?
You can, but when you include coffee grounds or beans in your general waste, they will more than likely end up in a landfill.
They will then start decomposing and producing harmful greenhouse gases, like methane, eventually emitting them into the atmosphere and directly contributing to global warming.
Who are Envar?
Who are Envar?
First Mile has partnered with Envar to recycle coffee grounds in the best possible way to help our environment. They specialise in composting green and food waste on a large scale, and are experts in their field, meaning they know exactly what to do with any form of coffee waste.
Why use First Mile?
Why use First Mile?
As one of the leading waste management companies in London, Birmingham 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.
Food Recycling
Dry Mixed Recycling
Glass Recycling
Flexible Plastics
Plastic Kegs
