New Tetra Pak cartons were introduced earlier this month, but have prompted a wave of criticism on social media.
Jersey Dairy has been criticised for the fact that, although the cartons are brown and appear to be more like cardboard than their predecessors, they cannot be recycled on the Island, and are not compostable.
Managing director Eamon Fenlon said the company was working with the parishes and the Recycling Centre at La Collette on a leaflet that would make clear that the cartons could not be recycled. The message will also be highlighted on social media, and Jersey Dairy is also looking at putting up posters in retail outlets.
Manufacture of the new ‘Rex Bio’ cartons involves a 22% smaller carbon footprint due to the use of plastics made from sugar cane. But the nearest facility where cartons can be recycled is in Yorkshire and it would not be environmentally or financially viable to send the waste there, so cartons are processed at the Energy from Waste plant.
‘We review our packaging regularly and Tetra Pak cartons are still the best option,’ Mr Fenlon added. ‘A number of producers in the UK have made the move from plastic bottles to Tetra Paks.’
Mr Fenlon said that returnable glass bottles brought their own environmental issues due to the energy expended in producing strong glass containers that would withstand multiple use. He said it had been estimated that a returnable glass bottle would have to be used 20 times before it became a more environmentally efficient option, with additional energy and space required for large bottle washing machines.
Jersey Dairy is also working with Tetra Pak to eliminate problems encountered by some consumers in opening the new cartons.
‘There was a difficulty with a couple of production runs and Tetra Pak have investigated this,’ Mr Fenlon added. ‘It seems they have identified the cause of the problem and will be able to rectify it.’
Islanders have criticised Jersey Dairy regarding the new cartons:
‘Was happy when I heard they were going to be eco friendly, thinking that would mean recyclable – we go through at least 3 cartons a day!’
‘They are a nightmare to open, but I was going to persevere because I thought they were recyclable!’
‘I haven’t bought one yet that I can open – is there a course on how to open these kind of milk cartons?’
‘I wish we could go back to glass bottles. I’m going to stick with Classic Herd milk from the Co-op.’
