Inside Tetra Pak's New AI-Powered UK Recycling Facility
Just 9% of the world’s plastic waste ends up being recycled, according to the OECD.
The remainder accumulates in landfills or is burned in incinerators, presenting a substantial challenge to global sustainability goals.
Recycling traditionally involves manual sorting, a process where workers separate various waste materials and remove unrecyclables from production lines.
Our World in Data indicates that packaging accounts for nearly 40% of global plastic waste.
Both consumers and regulators increasingly urge consumer goods companies and packaging providers to mitigate this environmental impact.
Tetra Pak, a leading name in the packaging industry, addresses this issue by implementing innovative technology to tackle packaging waste.
The Swedish company has achieved a milestone with the integration of AI-powered optical sorting technology at one of its UK facilities. This advancement automates the processing phase in waste management, a critical component in enhancing sustainability efforts.
Tetra Pak has partnered with Recycleye, a British start-up, to deploy its QuantiSort technology at their Carlisle, UK, recycling facility.
“This announcement of another upgrade to a UK MRF demonstrates our commitment to improving the UK’s recycling infrastructure and transforming the UK's circular economy,” says Awantika Chadha, Sustainability Manager at Tetra Pak UK.
“We are particularly pleased to be helping to implement AI-powered optical sorter technology in the UK for the first time.”
Innovative sorting technology
Recycleye’s system employs artificial intelligence and multiple cameras to identify beverage cartons within mixed waste streams, using pneumatic valves to segregate them for recycling.
The system currently achieves 98% purity in carton output, greatly surpassing conventional sorting methods.
This AI technology offers flexibility by adapting to different carton types and evolving material streams more efficiently than traditional systems.
“This project demonstrates the capability of AI to detect and recover items such as food and beverage cartons, offering MRFs a flexible technology to adapt to changing material streams,” says Victor Dewulf, Co-Founder and CEO of Recycleye.
The Carlisle facility handles materials from across North West England and parts of Scotland, serving both Cumberland and Westmorland & Furness Councils.
Significant Investment in Recycling
The Cumbria installation forms the second of three planned upgrades under Tetra Pak’s 2025 UK investment programme, amounting to US$1.7m.
In May, J&B Recycling in Hartlepool received funding for two new robotic sorting arms, also produced by Recycleye.
A third facility upgrade is slated for later this year.
This initiative is part of Tetra Pak’s broader commitment of over US$41m annually to expand carton collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure globally.
Within this global budget, US$2.9m has been earmarked specifically for enhancing UK sorting infrastructure.
Aligning with Regulatory Changes
This technological advancement aligns with the UK government’s Simpler Recycling policy, set to commence in March 2026.
The policy mandates that all English councils collect cartons at kerbside, which may lead to a considerable rise in carton waste volumes.
Businesses in England have faced similar requirements since March 2025, requiring separate recycling bins for designated materials.
“Even though our Council customers are not yet actively targeting Tetra Pak it is surprising how much we are already recovering with the system working seamlessly with the rest of our plant,” says Andy Chant, CEO of Cumbria Waste Group.
The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE UK) has supported the investment programme as UK councils commence preparations for upcoming regulation changes.
“As we approach the Simpler Recycling rollout — mandating all councils in England to collect cartons at kerbside — we’re proud to bolster another key investment in advanced sorting technology,” says Mandy Kelly, CEO of ACE UK.
