Driving the Development of Mexico’s Recycling Ecosystem

Q: How is Tetra Pak implementing its global sustainability strategy in Mexico?

A: Tetra Pak’s sustainability strategy follows global standards. All policies are designed to promote two main objectives: first, to develop recycling systems for packaging, and second, to minimize environmental impact throughout the entire product life cycle. For example, no water is used in the manufacturing process of Tetra Pak cartons. While global standards guide operations, Tetra Pak must adapt its policies to local conditions. In Mexico, recycling systems face particular challenges, such as the presence of an informal economy around material recovery. Household waste separation is also still in an early stage of development, requiring further local adaptation.

Another consideration is ensuring ethical practices throughout the supply chain. For example, the company works to prevent child labor in collection and recycling activities, given the complex nature of Mexico’s waste recovery systems. These bottlenecks along the recycling chain sometimes make it difficult to fully align with global sustainability policies. Nevertheless, Tetra Pak continues to adapt while maintaining principles of good governance, economic viability, and environmental efficiency. 

Q: One of Tetra Pak’s key advantages is that its products do not require refrigeration, reducing cold-chain energy use. How has this contributed to your sustainability goals?

A: In Mexico, the distribution of liquid food products often faces logistical challenges due to limited cold-chain infrastructure. For this reason, Tetra Pak’s packaging plays a critical role in ensuring safe and efficient food distribution across the country. In many rural or remote areas, small stores may lack basic refrigeration, yet Tetra Pak cartons make it possible to deliver and store products safely without the need for cooling. This reliability has made the packaging especially valuable in national programs such as school breakfast initiatives.

For example, in regions like the Sierra Tarahumara, school breakfasts must be distributed monthly, since daily deliveries are not feasible. Many of these communities are eight to 10 hours away from distribution centers and often lack both refrigeration and electricity. In such cases, Tetra Pak packaging ensures that milk and other perishable products can be delivered in safe, hygienic conditions while maintaining their nutritional properties. This function gives the packaging an important social dimension, as it helps reduce gastrointestinal illnesses among children and supports access to safe nutrition in underserved regions.

Tetra Pak’s system significantly reduces environmental impact by eliminating the need for cold storage. Given Mexico’s infrastructure, the packaging provides an efficient and reliable solution for both food safety and sustainability.

Q: Recycling aseptic packages is challenging due to the need for specialized processing. How is Tetra Pak addressing this in Mexico, where recycling infrastructure is less developed?

A: Tetra Pak’s cartons are recyclable. The key lies in understanding the structure of the packaging and how standard recycling processes apply to it. Tetra Pak containers are made 72% of cardboard, between 23% and 25% of polyethylene, and the remaining portion is aluminum, applied in the thinnest gauge available on the market to ensure minimal material use while maintaining product safety.

Because most of the package is made of cardboard, Tetra Pak cartons can be recycled using the same technology and equipment as traditional paper products. Specialized or high-tech machinery is not required; instead, they are processed through the same paper industry systems used to recycle standard paper materials. Contrary to popular belief, the layers of the package do not need to be manually separated. The recycling process efficiently handles the materials together in its initial stages, allowing for the recovery of the paper fibers and the reuse of components such as polyethylene and aluminum in later steps.

Q: Tetra Pak has partnered with 18 “recycling allies” in Mexico, recycling 55 million tons of material in 2024. How do you approach these partnerships?

A: Tetra Pak works through partnerships across the entire value chain. This work is based on several pillars. The first is having packaging designed for recyclability. But innovation also involves reducing environmental impact. For example, our Tetra Edge packaging performs better than the traditional brick carton because it allows for the transportation of more liters per pallet. 

The next step is recovery: how the packaging will be collected. Recovery and design go hand in hand with education. In countries like Mexico, we still have work to do to encourage material separation. When people separate waste properly, it becomes much easier for those in the recycling chain to recover it cleanly and efficiently. This also makes collection more cost-effective. Tetra Pak supports the collection chain by providing machinery and equipment to handle packaging properly. 

Next comes linking collectors with recyclers. We help build those connections and often help develop the recyclers themselves. In Mexico, the paper industry plays a key role. We have a joint investment with Biopapel, the country’s largest paper producer, in a recycling line dedicated exclusively to Tetra Pak cartons. Biopapel buys the material, extracts the paper fiber, and uses it mainly for brown paper products, corrugated boxes, and liners. The remaining polyethylene and aluminum are also recycled. We have developed this recycling process ourselves, investing in technology and working with partners interested in processing “poly-aluminum.” 

Q: What has been the impact of your recycling operations in Mexico?

A: Our recycling rate last year was 33%, equivalent to 55,500 t of material. Our goal for this year is 60,000 t, and by 2030 we aim to reach 40%. Meanwhile, around 70% of the poly-aluminum is already being recycled. The next step is expanding pelletization to raise material value even further and make the recovery chain more robust in the coming years. We do not focus solely on Tetra Pak packaging because the collection system must handle multiple materials to be economically viable. Collectors who work with PET or aluminum cans can include our cartons as part of their business, increasing their income. 

Recycling our packaging in Mexico generates about 400 direct jobs. The Queretaro recycling plant employs around 300 people. Recycling now creates more jobs than packaging production itself.

Q: For 2030, Tetra Pak aims for 100% of its raw materials to come from renewable sources. What changes are needed to reach that goal?

A: Tetra Pak’s main goal is to move toward a low-carbon circular economy by prioritizing renewable raw materials. About 72% of our packaging is made from cardboard sourced from responsibly managed forests certified by the  Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The nonrenewable components are polyethylene and aluminum. We are working to replace polyethylene with biopolymers, mainly derived from sugarcane bagasse. We can not risk product safety or integrity without confirming that any new material will not cause changes during processing, storage, or use. So the first step is to gradually replace petroleum-based polymers with renewable biopolymers. In Mexico, we already have caps made from biopolymers, and in other regions like the European Union and Asia, there are pilot tests for using biopolymers in the outer layers of the package.

We are also working to reduce the use of aluminum or explore alternative materials. The aluminum layer is crucial as it protects the product from sunlight and spoilage. The challenge is to find a material with similar barrier properties or minimize the amount of aluminum required without compromising performance. 

Another initiative involves using post-consumer Tetra Pak cartons as recycled cardboard in the production of new paper. However, fibers differ greatly by region — for example, the fibers used in Mexico are not the same as those in Central or South America or the European Union. We have to ensure that if recycled fibers are incorporated into packaging, the container will not lose its compression strength or collapse. That is why we are working on defining the right formulation to maintain the necessary structural and functional properties. As this is primary packaging for sensitive products like milk, we must ensure product safety and hygiene while reducing environmental impact. The goal is to deliver packaging that maintains its mechanical and functional integrity but has the lowest possible carbon footprint.

Q: What business incentives exist for companies to adopt more sustainable practices, and how has proactive sustainability enhanced Tetra Pak’s profitability?

A: Tetra Pak has been working on these issues since the 1980s, particularly in the European Union. In Mexico, Tetra Pak has been promoting carton recycling since 1997. This shows that our commitment to circularity is not about responding to new regulations; it is part of our long-term strategy. 

This is also a matter of competitiveness. From a market standpoint, what differentiates us from other packaging systems is that we can demonstrate lower environmental impact, higher efficiency in distribution, and a clear end-of-life recovery pathway for our products. That translates into a tangible advantage for our clients. When companies choose Tetra Pak, they know they are working with packaging that is more efficient, compliant with regulations, and aligned with sustainability goals.

Having 72% renewable content already gives us a strong advantage, but beyond that, our packaging stands out for being more competitive across three pillars: social, environmental, and economic. Clients get a high-performance package with a smaller footprint; one that is better for business and for the planet.

Q: How is Tetra Pak preparing for emerging sustainability regulations or market trends in Mexico and Latin America?

A: Mexico’s Circular Economy Law will come into effect next year, introducing extended producer responsibility (EPR). In the European Union, EPR systems have successfully boosted material recovery rates, and if Mexico can adapt such a model, it could be a major step forward. However, for the system to work, all actors must play their part. Consumers must take responsibility for properly disposing of packaging. The government must ensure proper administration and infrastructure for waste management. And the industry must provide the technology and investment needed to make recycling feasible. When these three pillars align, a “virtuous triangle” is created. But if one fails, the entire system breaks down.

In recent years, Tetra Pak has helped develop the recycling ecosystem for plastics and cartons through partnerships and investments, ensuring that there are now actors capable of processing these materials. But regulation still plays a key role: if laws do not encourage proper handling and if governments fail to manage materials effectively, progress will remain slow.

Mexico’s informal recycling sector also plays a role. Many families depend on this economy, so any new system must find ways to integrate and formalize it rather than replace it abruptly. That could involve fiscal incentives or gradual support to professionalize small collectors, helping them connect with the broader recycling chain. Ultimately, all effort should contribute to the same goal: a packaging model that works economically, socially, and environmentally in the 21st century. Tetra Pak, as a B2B company with decades of experience in EU markets, is uniquely positioned to help Mexico build a strong, inclusive recycling system by working hand in hand with all stakeholders.