MILKLAB, the go-to plant-based milk for Australian cafes, has teamed up with saveBOARD to revolutionise waste recycling.
The collaboration aims to transform recycled waste — including long-life milk cartons, into low-carbon building materials.
These materials will be used to construct MILKLAB Lane at the 2024 Melbourne International Coffee Expo, running from 12 – 14 May 2024.
The MILKLAB Lane stand will showcase sustainable practices, featuring saveBOARD — a low-carbon building material made from hard-to-recycle liquid paperboard found in long-life milk and juice cartons.
saveBOARD focuses on building a circular economy by converting composite packaging waste, such as milk cartons, ingredient bags, and soft plastics, into low-carbon products that can re-enter the local supply chain, reducing future waste.
MILKLAB Marketing Manager Natalie Latimore stated: “We are thrilled to partner with saveBOARD to use recycled milk carton packaging for the build of MILKLAB Lane this year. We’re excited to offer visitors to this year’s Expo an exciting and sustainable brand experience.”
MILKLAB worked closely with saveBOARD to integrate milk carton packaging waste into the board products used for the walls of MILKLAB Lane.
These boards contain no additives like glue, chemicals, or adhesives.
The plastic in the packaging serves as the glue, and the colour is derived from the original consumer packaging.
Each saveBOARD panel saves 500 used beverage cartons from ending up in landfills. The saveBOARD plants, located in Warragamba, Western Sydney, and Hamilton, New Zealand, have the capacity to recycle four million kilograms of soft plastics and fibre annually.
saveBOARD Country Manager Chris Collimore expressed pride in the partnership with MILKLAB, highlighting saveBOARD as a solution to problematic waste management.
Collimore said: “We divert hard-to-recycle packaging waste from landfills and turn it into an aesthetically pleasing, functional, and commercially sustainable building product.”
saveBOARD’s new Warragamba facility, opened last year in partnership with Tetra Pak, further enhances the recycling process.
Tetra Pak Marketing Director Jaymie Pagdato praised the collaboration, emphasising its contribution to a low-carbon, circular economy.
