Drinks cartons

As a nation we use around 57,000 tonnes of cartons every year – that’s the same as the weight of 331 blue whales!

Luckily, recycling cartons is now much easier, meaning less will end up in landfill.

Once collected and sorted from other waste, cartons are shredded and mixed with water in a machine similar to a washing machine. They are then pulped for around 30 minutes, which breaks down the cartons into fibrous solution that can be dried and rolled out to make new paper products – like envelopes and plasterboard liner.

The carton lining, which is made from plastic or aluminium is separated out and used to supply energy for the mill. The plastic screw tops can be recycled to make more screw tops.

Squashing cartons before recycling means they take up a third less space, helping to keep trucks off the road.

To find your nearest recycling centre visit: banklocator.wasteawarenesswales.org.uk.