Costco to sell planters made from recycled cartons in collaboration with Tetra Pak & Keter

Tetra Pak and Keter have announced a new partnership with the launch of Cube Planters made out of recycled materials from used beverage cartons. Keter is a global leader in the manufacturing of Garden Storage and Furniture and, more widely, sustainable solutions for the home and garden. The planters are now available to purchase from Costco outlets across the United Kingdom.

Available in a fashionable brown colourway, Keter has manufactured the planter as a 50.5 litre model that is ideal for a medium shrub or 2-3 smaller plants, and also perfect for a mini herb garden.

The planters are made from up to 98% recycled plastic and aluminium in used beverage cartons (known as polyAl). Each is made from materials from an estimated 166 beverage cartons.

The use of polyAl pellets to manufacture these planters reduces waste and decreases the need to use virgin materials, meeting high customer standards for attractiveness and usability. The planters are already sold in retail stores in Spain and Portugal.

Awantika Chadha, Sustainability Manager, Tetra Pak UK, said: We are investing in using recycled materials such as polyAl. These planters are a great example of how advanced recycling processes can turn what would otherwise be waste into a new, desirable product. They support a transition towards circular economy, one that keeps materials in circulation with a new lease of life.

Aseptic beverage cartons are made up of, on average, 70% paperboard made from wood sourced from FSC™ certified forests and other controlled resources. The remainder is made up of an ultra-thin aluminium layer that shields food from light and oxygen and thin layers of polymers that block moisture and hold the layers together. Such multi-layered structures enable the package to protect the food inside and allow for distribution and storage at room temperature.

Mark Kelly, Lawn and Garden Buyer, Costco, said: Our members are increasingly on the lookout for information about the environmental credentials that they buy. These planters are an innovative option, because for the first time in the UK people can buy a planter made from used beverage cartons. It means that consumers can make an active choice to purchase a product that is made from recycled materials.

In recycling, the fibres in the cartons are extracted at paper mills. The remaining mixture of polymers and aluminium can be turned into polyAl pellets for products such as pallets, crates, logistics packaging and outdoor furniture where the correct infrastructure exists.

This article was originally published by Tetra Pak.