The natural solution for renewable plastic

Developing a fully renewable beverage carton

About 20% of a typical paperboard beverage carton is made up of fossilbased plastic. The plastic barrier coating is used for holding the liquid and to prevent migration of air and flavours through the paperboard.

There was a clear market need for a fully renewable beverage carton that provides a reduced carbon footprint and excellent product protection properties.

Co-created 100% wood-based beverage carton

UPM Biofuels joined forces with Dow – one of the world-leading, innovative chemical companies, and Elopak – an international supplier of paper-based packaging solutions, to co-create a 100% renewable* beverage carton that is recyclable and responsibly sourced.

All of the three companies shared the vision of a sustainable liquid packaging solution that is not dependent on fossil-based materials.

* on mass balance basis

Renewable plastic from UPM BioVerno naphtha

Using UPM’s wood-based naphtha as raw material for the plastic coating in liquid cartons allows reducing the carbon footprint of the packaging.

Every tonne of UPM BioVerno naphtha used for carton manufacturing reduces the need for fossil raw materials an equivalent amount. Sustainability of the entire value chain is certified.

The result is a 100% wood-based, recyclable carton. The technical properties of the carton coating and cap correspond to fossil-based materials.

UPM BioVerno naphtha is made from a residue of the pulp production process, and it comes from responsibly managed forests. It is the perfect ingredient for a future beyond fossils.