Tetra Pak announces third AI investment to enhance sorting of food and beverage cartons.
Levenseat Resource Management has installed AI-powered optical sorting technology designed by British start-up Recycleye to more effectively sort food and beverage cartons for recycling
London, UK, 24 September 2025: Tetra Pak has announced the final phase of a three-part 2025 investment programme to upgrade food and beverage carton sorting capabilities in the UK: the installation of AI-powered optical sorting technology for the first time in Scotland.
Tetra Pak has financed the production and installation of innovative AI-powered optical sorting technology at Levenseat Resource Management’s materials recycling facility (MRF) in Central Scotland, in collaboration with British technology start-up, Recycleye. The technology, known as Recycleye QuantiSort®, uses AI and cameras to detect beverage cartons within the mixed materials waste stream, and pneumatic valves are then used to eject them so that they can be sent on to be recycled.
This upgrade will enable Levenseat Resource Management to enhance the sorting of food and beverage cartons for recycling. The company serves a large area, including Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and Dumbartonshire.
The announcement of funding for Levenseat follows two other upgrades at MRFs earlier in the year, bringing Tetra Pak’s total investment in UK sorting infrastructure in 2025 to £1.4 million. As the first site announced in May, J&B Recycling in Hartlepool received two new robotic sorting arms, also produced by Recycleye. In July, Cumbria Waste Management in Carlisle became the first site in the UK to use the Recycleye QuantiSort®, with the technology having previously been used at MRFs in Spain.
This work in the UK is part of Tetra Pak’s wider annual commitment of over £34 million per year to expand food and beverage carton collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure globally, in collaboration with stakeholders across the value chain. Of this, £2.4 million from Tetra Pak has been ringfenced specifically for infrastructure to sort food and beverage cartons in the UK.
This final round of Tetra Pak’s 2025 investment in sorting infrastructure marks a milestone in the company’s long-standing work collaborating with UK legislators and local authorities to improve the collection, sorting and recycling of food and beverage cartons.
The timing of this investment at a Scottish MRF is significant given the work being undertaken as part of the Circular Economy Act. This includes Tetra Pak working with the Scottish Government to ensure cartons are included in the updated Code of Practice for local authorities, which will create a consistent approach to recycling and help to reduce consumer confusion regarding what they can recycle.
This mirrors efforts made by Tetra Pak to assist the government in England in the development of Simpler Recycling. This will create a consistent approach to collections, and is expected to substantially increase the collection of food and beverage cartons at kerbside across England, making effective sorting infrastructure for recycling cartons across the UK even more necessary.
Awantika Chadha, Sustainability Manager, Tetra Pak UK, said: “We are delighted to be able to demonstrate the power that investment in cutting-edge AI technology holds when it comes to improving the UK’s recycling infrastructure. We are committed to supporting the transition to a circular economy in the UK, and will continue to advocate for our approach at Levenseat Resource Management, and elsewhere, to be seen as a blueprint for the future of food and beverage carton sorting capabilities both in Scotland and across the UK.”
Victor Dewulf, Co-founder and CEO of Recycleye, said: “This first installation of the Recycleye QuantiSort® in Scotland is a major milestone for us. It has been a pleasure to collaborate with Tetra Pak and Levenseat Resource Management on this project, and more broadly on Tetra Pak’s mission to improve the bulk recovery of food and beverage cartons in the UK. AI has the capability to transform waste management, and we hope that our work with Levenseat and others will show MRFs and local authorities the possibilities this flexible technology offers.”
Angus Hamilton, CEO, Levenseat Resource Management said: “We’re proud to work with Tetra Pak and Recycleye to bring AI-powered carton sorting technology to Scotland for the first time. Strengthening our carton sorting capability means we can provide even greater value to the Local Authorities and communities we serve. Together, we are demonstrating how collaboration and innovation can make a real difference in building a more sustainable recycling system for Scotland and beyond.”
Mandy Kelly, Chief Executive of ACE UK said: "With almost three quarters of UK councils now collecting liquid cartons at the kerbside, it is vital that there is investment in MRF infrastructure to ensure that cartons are being effectively sorted and sent for reprocessing.
“I am proud that the carton industry has made a number of investments in key facilities across the UK, demonstrating effective carton sorting at scale. The installation at Levenseat marks another welcome step towards the widespread use of advanced sorting technology, with a clear focus on providing high-quality materials for reprocessing.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Media Contact
Naomi Everhart
Brands2Life, on behalf of Tetra Pak UK and Ireland
+44 20 7592 1200
tetrapak@brands2life.com
Background on Tetra Pak’s UK Recycling Commitment
This work in the UK is part of Tetra Pak’s wider annual commitment of over £34 million per year to expand food and beverage carton collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure globally, in collaboration with stakeholders across the value chain. Of this, £2.4 million from Tetra Pak has been ringfenced specifically for infrastructure to sort food and beverage cartons in the UK, in addition to £24 million from the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE UK). This investment has been used to bolster the wider recycling value chain, including collection points and bring banks, and upgrades to sorting facilities.
This investment comes ahead of the introduction of the government’s Simpler Recycling policy for households in March 2026. Tetra Pak has assisted the government in the development of the policy which will mean that everyone in England will be able to dispose of their cartons from kerbside for recycling. Rules were also launched for businesses in England in March of this year requiring premises to recycle specific materials in separate bins. This policy is expected to substantially increase the collection of food and beverage cartons at kerbside, making effective sorting infrastructure for recycling them even more necessary.
About Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak is a world-leading food processing and packaging solutions company. Working with our customers and suppliers, we provide access to safe, nutritious food for hundreds of millions of people in more than 160 countries every day. With over 24,000 employees worldwide, we commit to making food safe and available everywhere, and we promise to protect what’s good: food, people, and the planet.
More information about Tetra Pak is available at www.tetrapak.com
About Recycleye
Recycleye designs and manufactures AI-powered sorting equipment and analytics to lower costs and increase profitability for the waste management industry. Combining pioneering robotic and optical sorters with a solid understanding of waste, Recycleye is forging new revenue streams for material recovery businesses across Europe and the USA.
For more information, visit: www.recycleye.com
About Levenseat Resource Management
Levenseat Resource Management is a leading materials recovery and recycling facility in Scotland, dedicated to delivering efficient and sustainable waste management solutions. Serving Local Authorities and communities across the region, Levenseat combines innovative technology with industry expertise to maximise the recovery and recycling of valuable materials. Committed to supporting Scotland’s transition to a circular economy, Levenseat works collaboratively with partners, businesses, Local Authorities and Government to ensure resources are kept in use for longer and environmental impact is minimised.
For more information visit www.levenseat.co.uk
And for more educational content on how we serve your community visit www.learnwithlevenseat.co.uk
