The Alliance for Beverage Cartons & the Environment (ACE) UK has welcomed the latest figures, which it said was equivalent to approximately 425,000 tonnes of cartons recycled, and also showed the total recovery rate was now 71% across the EU.
In 2013 the UK's first dedicated recycling facility for beverage cartons opened in Stainland, Yorkshire.
The facility, a partnership between ACE UK, and global paper and packaging manufacturer Sonoco Alcore, is expected to boost beverage carton recycling in the UK in the long term.
Beverage cartons are recycled using a simple pulping process, where the paperboard and non-fibre layers are separated and turned into new materials.
The wood fibres can be used to produce new high-strength paper products, such as cores and tubes for consumer and industrial applications, while the polymer and foil layers can be recycled or used for energy recovery.
Richard Hands, chief executive of ACE UK, which represents carton manufacturers Tetra Pak, Elopak and SIG Combibloc, said the number of UK local authorities collecting cartons at kerbside for recycling has risen to 57% – from 31% in 2011.
"When carton recycling bring banks are included, 91% of local authorities now collect cartons for recycling. This progress marks a significant shift in providing incentives for local authorities to collect cartons, so making it easier for consumers to recycle them and providing an environmental packaging choice for manufacturers."
