Tetra Pak, Onward Paper Mill sign recycling solution deal

By Onome Amuge

Tetra Pak West Africa, a leading food processing and packaging solutions company, has initiated a recycling partnership with Onward Paper Mill to develop sustainable recycling solutions for post-consumer beverage cartons in Nigeria.

According to the agreement, which is the first of its kind  in the West African region,Tetra Pak aims to build its sustainability effort to drive recycling and proper management on Used Beverage Cartons (UBC), educate the public on waste management while supporting local regulations and responding to customer demands.

Speaking at the ceremony, ArunaOshiokamele, managing director, Tetra Pak West Africa, said the company is geared towards protecting the planet by contributing to the circular economy in recycling all packaging materials collected.

He added that the company has helped grow the number of facilities that recycle cartons from 40 in 2002 to 170 globally.

“At Tetra Pak, sustainability has long been at the heart of our business strategy and our operations both globally and locally. Our approach to sustainability encompasses our entire value chain – including the environmental, social, and economic challenges we face.From our School Feeding Programmes to our circular economy commitments, to our Diversity and Inclusion initiatives, we constantly strive towards safeguarding our own employees and supporting communities where we operate and protecting the future of our planet and the long-term success of our customers,” the company said in a statement.

On his part, KunleObagun, executive chairman, Onward Paper Mill Ltd, expressed his pleasure over the signing of the partnership. He assured that the pact will focus on reducing the presence of UBC in landfill and other waste dumps by engaging in public awareness and supporting the targeted collection of UBC from the consuming public through various campaigns and initiatives in schools and communities.

Obagun noted that Onward was initially established in 1953 as a paper trading company before evolving into Onward Paper Mill Ltd., the first indigenous paper converter in 1972, producing exercise books and other quality paper products.

The company, he explained, continues to be at the forefront of paper conversion by investing in sustainable technology and innovation which has led to the partnership to recycle Used Beverage Cartons (UBC) for use as a base raw material in paper production.

Onward Paper Mill currently has an annual production capacity of 20,000 tonnes of paper, boards, and tissue products.

Tetra Pak is a Swedish-Swiss multilateral food processing and packaging company founded in 1943. Since inception, the company, which has more than 25,000 workers around the world, has worked closely with its customers and suppliers in ensuring the provision of safe, innovative, and environmentally sound products that meet the daily needs of millions of people in more than 160 countries.