In line with World Environment Day, Tetra Pak Malaysia continues to reaffirm its commitment to “Protect What’s Good” by working with customers and partners to achieve high food safety and availability standards while minimizing the use of resources and optimising the lifecycle of everything they produce.
“This year’s theme for World Environment Day, ‘Only One Earth,’ focusing on ‘living sustainably in harmony with nature,’ is apt and closely aligned with what we do here at Tetra Pak. We develop and offer sustainable and innovative food processing and packaging solutions that can make a difference, helping protect and restore our planet’s climate, resources, and biodiversity. There is no other Planet Earth. There is only ONE and we must do everything we can to protect it,” Michael Wu, Managing Director of Tetra Pak Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia, shared.
Packaging has been fundamental to building the food supply chains and comes at a cost to the planet. Our food system accounts for more than 25 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, which increases as demand for food increases. Recognizing this, Tetra Pak is consistently pursuing actions across the entire value chain to help create a sustainable tomorrow without ever compromising on food safety or quality.
“We need packaging solutions that take us into the future. Addressing complex issues such as climate change and circularity requires transformational innovation and collaboration with key stakeholders – customers, suppliers, governments, recycling and waste collection partners, and much more,” Wu continued.
Globally, Tetra Pak has made strides in its journey to achieving the world’s first sustainable packaging – a fully renewable, fully recyclable, carbon-neutral carton. In April this year, the company announced its plan to deploy its portfolio in tethered cap solutions, designed to enhance convenience for subsequent consumption and, more importantly, play a role in reducing litter as the cap will stay attached to the package. When the caps chosen are plant-based, made from polymers derived from responsibly sourced sugarcane, this helps reduce the carbon footprint of the carton further and increases the renewable content of the package. Additionally, Tetra Pak is working on accelerating the expansion of its paper straws offering to ensure renewable and carbon materials across the range of packaging solutions. The company recently shared that it is now testing a fibre-based barrier to substitute the aluminium layer currently used in food carton packages. Though already thinner than human hair, the aluminium layer plays a critical role in keeping the contents inside the carton safe. It also contributes to a third of the greenhouse gas emissions linked to base materials used by Tetra Pak.
Wu said, “In Malaysia, we will continue to work with our customers and partners to bring these innovative packaging (and processing) solutions here. Some of our customers have adopted using paper straws and plant-based caps in their packaging. For example, to kickstart the mindset of replacing single-use plastic bottles with paper-based cartons, Tetra Pak partnered with The Watertree ™ Project to introduce the first locally-branded, carton-packed water to Malaysians. Some customers have also installed processing equipment that helps minimise waste and spoilage and reduces energy and water consumption.”
