Verdek receives FSC certification

Verdek Transformaciones Sustentables, a company that collects and processes Tetra Pak cartons at its recycling facility near Mexico City, has received the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for its recovered pulp fiber and postconsumer recycled-content certification for its poly-aluminum building panels. The certifications were awarded by SCS Global Services.

SCS Global Services provides third-party environmental, sustainability and food quality certification, auditing, testing and standards development.

“Our auditors have reviewed Verdek's production process, inputs and tracking procedures in order to verify the accuracy of its recycled content and FSC claims,” says Alicia Godlove, SCS materials manager. "No less than 98 percent of the raw material for these products is derived from postconsumer Tetra Pak cartons, diverting these containers from the waste stream while producing usable building and paper products."

Tetra Pak cartons are made from high-strength paper fiber layered with aluminum foil and polyethylene plastic. The cardboard gives the carton its strength and printing surface while the aluminum and polyethylene are designed to protect its contents from light, moisture, oxygen and microorganisms. The resulting multilayer ascetic container keeps food and beverage products safe to consume without refrigeration or the use of additional preservatives for up to a year, Tetra Pak says.

Verdek pays Tetra Pak carton recyclers for the used cartons collected from schools, hospitals and neighborhoods throughout Mexico. Through a "hydro-pulping" process, water and friction are used to separate the cellulose fibers from the polyethylene and aluminum. The fiber is rolled and pressed into blocks to be used for tissues and paper towels. The remaining poly-aluminum is dried, processed and compressed with a thin layer of polyethylene film and/or kraft paper into building panels that can be used as flooring, roof and ceiling tiles, base layers for kitchen and bathroom countertops and as a substitute for fiberboard and plywood panels.