SIG and Mengniu Dairy highlighted new opportunities for beverage carton recycling at a sustainability-focused event held at Mengniu’s Horinger factory in Hohhot, China, marking the fourth China National Ecology Day.
The event demonstrated how used beverage cartons can be converted into practical products, with displays featuring stationery, household articles and office supplies. The initiative brings together collection infrastructure and recycling technologies developed through collaboration between SIG and partners across the packaging value chain.
SIG said it plans to further integrate technological innovation into its sustainability strategy, with a focus on improving packaging circularity and supporting lower-carbon production systems. The company also intends to strengthen its cooperation with Mengniu while working with additional industry stakeholders on recycling infrastructure and the wider use of recycled materials.
Building a recycling ecosystem
SIG’s approach extends beyond packaging design to include collection, sorting and material recovery. The company is working to improve the recyclability of its carton formats while supporting systems that enable used packs to be collected and processed after consumption.
Its initiatives have also expanded beyond China. Earlier this year, SIG introduced its Recycle for Good program in Vietnam, establishing an education-focused carton collection model in Bac Ninh. The program encourages schools, particularly preschools and primary schools, to participate in the collection of used milk cartons.
In South Korea, SIG supplied Seoul Dairy Cooperative with full-barrier aseptic cartons that do not use an aluminum layer. The packaging has been recognized as recyclable under the country’s recyclability grading framework, with Seoul Dairy becoming the first local company to commercialize products using this type of aluminum-free full-barrier aseptic carton material.
SIG is also extending its carton packaging technology into European dairy applications. SalzburgMilch in Austria recently became the first commercial user of SIG’s DomeMini 12 Aseptic filling line, launching milk products in the company’s DomeMini on-the-go carton bottle format.