Monday 15 November 2010

Environment: Tetra Pak Carton Recycling

Okay, since I think you will need some time to try out the homework I have assigned to you last week, so I will postpone my blog entry on writing till Friday. Till then, we will look at some simpler things and hopefully I can raise your awareness in this.

When you buy some packet drinks from a supermarket, you actually buy the carton as well. You drink the liquid and throw away the carton. But do you know that the carton is actually designed to be recyclable?

Image from ecosherpa.com

Now, don't start throwing your milk carton into the recycle bins if you are in Hong Kong, because nope, Hong Kong doesn't help with the recycling of milk carton. In UK, they do. From the Local Government Channel,

"Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak is committed to boosting carton recycling rates in the UK. In this year alone, they have announced a £300,000 fund available for local authorities wanting to establish carton collection schemes in their area and have hired a national recycling officer dedicated to making sure it happens."


Exactly, how they do this? Here is a not-so-interesting but informative video to watch:


What is really inside a Tetra Pak container?
Image from Wikipedia

That means, it contain lots of plastics, paper and aluminium, which theoretically speaking, can all be recycled.

And here is a video of a recycle factory of Tetra Pak in action:



So, what has the Hong Kong government do about this carton recycling? They wanted more land for rubbish dumping, of course!


Homework:
How come I used  "theoretically speaking" when I wrote "That means, it contain lots of plastics, paper and aluminium, which theoretically speaking, can all be recycled"?

Resources:
Local Government Channel in UK
http://www.localgovernmentchannel.com/news/v/carton_recycling_let_s_make_it_happen_/to/recycling_waste/

Recycling Tetra Pak Milk Cartons on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJt9J0jtl6s

Tetra Pak on Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetra_Pak#Criticism

Tetra Pak USA Environmental Video on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niHuji9d_mI&feature=related

6 comments:

  1. Hi! Locky,

    You meant that according to the fact and situation, Tetra Pak Carton contains lots of plastics, paper and aluminium can be recyled. However, it can't be recyled in Hong Kong in practice. You blamed the HK government as it doesn't help with the recycling of milk carton.

    Thanks,
    Mei

    ReplyDelete
  2. LOcky,

    Theoretically speaking means talking about a situation or concept. Theoretically every time ...,but HK government has no concept and theory about the way of recycling of milk carton.

    Thanks,
    Mei

    ReplyDelete
  3. Locky, can you postspone the answer to monday ? =)

    Celia

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mei you are also right.

    When we want to recycle something,we need to have the infrastructure, and to have this, we need capital, from government subsidy or privately owned companies.

    The fact that Hong Kong gives so little support to these companies to make the recycling industry profitable is the reason why these companies only decrease in numbers and never increases.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Celia, sorry, nope, can't delay, I'm writing it now.

    ReplyDelete