FINLAND – Helsinki-based manufacturer of dairy products, Valio has announced plans to replace its package with caps with tethered caps to meet the EU directive.

The company says its milk and cream cans, will change gradually to comply with the requirements of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive.

The directive aims to reduce the amount of plastic litter in the environment, especially on ocean beaches, and to promote a circular economy.

The change will require that the caps of any beverage containers of up to three liters must remain attached to the carton.

According to Valio, the first changes in its packaging will be visible in the first half of 2023. All the necessary changes will be done by the deadline set in the directive before July 2024.

Jussi-Pekka Lumme Valio’s Packaging Development Manager said: “The change has required a lot of preparation and planning, both internally and with our packaging suppliers.

“The change will lead to equipment investments at our factories, depending on the type of packaging. From the recyclability perspective, we believe that it’s very important for all recyclable materials – including plastic caps – to be recycled and reused.

“This will also help to ensure that plastic caps are collected and will not end up in the environment.”

Before this announcement, the Finnish company conducted multiple surveys about the packaging preferences of Finnish consumers.

Based on the survey results, many people don’t want to see an end to packages with caps, like milk cartons.

“There are advantages to a package that can be sealed tight with a cap: it is readily portable, and it can be stored on its side in a refrigerator,” added Jussi-Pekka Lumme.

“All Valio gable-topped milk, sour milk, cream and yogurt products sold in Finland, including their caps, are made from 100% renewable raw materials.

“The plastic parts of the packaging are not fossil-based; they are made from bioethanol, a by-product of the sugarcane industry. Also, the traditional pourable carton is still functional, and many prefer this alternative.”

The packaging renewal will also lead to a change in the recycling instructions on a milk carton. The packaging that includes the cap will have to be recycled with carton recycling.

This means that the plastic part will be separated from the carton board at the recycling plant. During the recycling process, the carton packaging is soaked, the soaked cardboard sinks, the plastic rises to the surface, and then the plastic parts can be separated.

“We encourage consumers to recycle all packaging correctly. For instance, we have added easy-to-find, plain-language recycling instructions to our packaging,” said Valio’s Head of Packaging Development Juhana Pilkama.

“Recycling all parts of the packaging conserves natural resources and reduces the use of virgin plastic. It is estimated that the use of recycled plastic reduces a package’s carbon footprint by 40–60 percent compared to a product made from non-recycled, fossil-based plastic.”

Pilkama notes that packaging at Valio is continuously being developed to make it better suited for a circular economy and to minimize climate impacts.

Valio’s goal is that by the end of 2025, all packaging is recycle-ready, i.e., it can be used to make new products.

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