A forthcoming recycling facility will soon turn food and beverage cartons into sustainable and durable building materials. It may sound like alchemy, but it's 100% real science — and a game-changer for both recycling and construction.
The facility, being built in Lodi, California, is the result of a partnership between the Upcycling Group, Carton Council, and Elof Hansson USA. It's set to be operational by the end of the third quarter of 2025 and will produce boards that can be used for roofing, walling, and more.
Upcycling Group co-founder and CEO Jan Rayman said in a press release that the carbon footprint of these new products will be "at least 80 percent lower" than the building materials they will replace. Unlike with conventional manufacturing, there will be "no mining, no tree cutting, and no water used or contaminated" in the fabrication of these boards.
This plant will utilize high-pressure and heat treatment instead of using massive amounts of water, formaldehyde glues, and other hazardous chemicals. The input will strictly leverage used cartons and other recyclable items, eliminating the need for brand-new tree- or mining-sourced materials.
The environmental benefits of this facility could be huge, recycling about 1.5 million pounds (or 750 tons) of cartons monthly. And this powerhouse only needs 15 people to operate.
Facilities like this could change the face of recycling and construction. With more in operation, we can free overflowing landfills from carton waste, which usually takes about five years to decompose (sometimes longer for polyethylene-coated cartons, which are indeed recyclable).
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And with these recycled boards, not only will we be reducing impacts on the environment — we're also looking at cheaper and highly durable building materials, bringing with them the possibility of more affordable homes.
Jason Pelz, VP of recycling for the Carton Council, said this new facility will make "recycling more efficient for West Coast communities" by using cartons sourced from California as well as other states in the region.
Want to take action? Small changes add up. Choosing plastic-free options in everyday products is another step toward a cleaner planet.
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