Manufacturing & Supply Chain

More than five million beverage cartons have been sorted and fully recycled since AI powered robotic sorting was launched at Panda’s materials recovery facility (MRF) in Ballymount, Dublin. Installed last year in partnership with the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment – ACE Ireland, the automated system is the first of its kind in Ireland – providing a highly efficient solution for identifying, picking, and sorting cartons at the MRF for onward recycling.

To mark the first year of dedicated carton sorting, ACE Ireland and Panda have launched a new consumer campaign to drive increased awareness of beverage carton recycling. Titled #RecycleYourCartons, the campaign calls on households to place used beverage cartons in their household recycling bin – clean, dry, and loose to kick start the carton recycling journey.

ACE Ireland’s Senior Recycling Manager, Mandy Kelly said: “The initiation of robotic sorting at Ballymount is proving hugely successful in showcasing how beverage cartons can and should be recycled in Ireland. It’s very encouraging to see over five million cartons sorted and sent for full recycling at ACE’s specialised carton facility within the first year of our partnership with Panda. However, there is huge potential for a further increase in carton recycling rates in Ireland and improved recycling practices through targeted investment and working with industry partners.

“Building on the carton industry’s relationship with Panda we’re focused on actively exploring new opportunities to further increase the volume of cartons sorted in Ballymount. To achieve this, as a first step it’s critical used cartons enter the recycling system. Our simple message to consumers is to start the recycling journey of cartons by placing them in the green or blue bin for collection – we’ll manage the rest.”

Mandy Kelly added: “Households across Ireland rely on beverage cartons as an everyday packaging choice. We want to ensure that consumers are aware of the sustainable nature of cartons, that they are fully recyclable, and that they are included on Ireland’s national household recycling list.”

The Ballymount facility receives over 90,000 tonnes of mixed dry recycling materials from over 400,000 homes and businesses each year. The automated sorting technology, which was developed by Recycleye and Fanuc, has the capacity to deliver 33,000 picks over a ten-hour shift. Sorted cartons are then sent to ACE’s specialised carton recycling facility where they are pulped and turned into high quality paper and core board. Fibres from beverage cartons can be recycled many times making them an ideal raw material for paper-based products.

CEO of Beauparc, the parent company of Panda, Brian McCabe said: “Robotics and automation are playing a pivotal role in increasing the efficiency and accuracy of our sorting processes. Through ongoing investment in the latest generation of robotic sorting technology, we’ve been able to significantly improve the quality of sorted materials. Importantly, this is being achieved with minimal disruption to existing infrastructure in the MRF. The initiation of dedicated carton sorting at our Ballymount MRF is an excellent example of this.

“Working with industry partners is a key part of our role in delivering and supporting innovation to enhance recycling and waste management in Ireland. As such, in partnership with ACE Ireland we are committed to increasing the volume of beverage cartons collected, sorted, and sent for full recycling through our Ballymount MRF. At Panda, we place significant focus on educating and communicating with our customers on how they can play their part in the recycling process. I’m very pleased that this latest joint campaign with ACE Ireland encourages our customers to engage with the recycling journey of beverage cartons.”

ACE Ireland represents Tetra Pak, Elopak, and SIG Combibloc, the leading manufacturers of beverage cartons for the Irish and European markets. For more information visit: www.ace-ireland.ie.