Nestlé and Tetra Pak Celebrate Over 10 Years of Partnership and Progress in Driving a Circular Economy in Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur, 8 November 2023 – In conjunction with Hari Kitar Semula Negara (National Recycling Day), Nestlé Malaysia and Tetra Pak today commemorate over a decade of partnership via their CAREton Project focused on driving a circular economy and a more sustainable future for Malaysia. The event was further marked with the addition of three new councils - Majlis Bandaraya Seberang Perai, Majlis Perbandaran Ampang Jaya and Majlis Bandaraya Ipoh joining the initiative. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exchange ceremony was held to officiate this milestone witnessed by YB Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Local Government Development, Malaysia. 

Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Local Government Development said, "Hari Kitar Semula Negara is a day for us to acknowledge the importance of recycling and reflect on the actions we can collectively take to protect our mother earth. The CAREton Project is a great example of how the private sector can spearhead sustainability initiatives and collaborate with Government to make a real difference. We are excited to see the CAREton Project expand and reach even more Malaysians, as we all work together to support Malaysia’s transition to a circular economy aligned with the concept of the MADANI Economy.”

The CAREton Project is a collaborative effort between Nestlé Malaysia, Tetra Pak, and local councils to collect and recycle used beverage cartons. The project has been instrumental in raising awareness about the importance of recycling and motivating consumers to recycle their used beverage cartons. Since 2012, the CAREton Project has collected over 4,000 tonnes of used beverage cartons which has been recycled and converted into polyAI panel boards and roofing tiles which are sufficient to build over 1,400 homes for Orang Asli communities in Malaysia.  This volume is equivalent to more than 283 million packs of used beverage cartons.

“Developing a sustainable recycling program is not the responsibility of a single entity; rather, it's a collaborative effort that requires active participation from everyone in the recycling value chain. Tetra Pak and Nestlé Malaysia are committed to continue making sustainability our business priority and working collaboratively to create a more sustainable future for Malaysia. We encourage all Malaysians to participate in the CAREton Project and recycle their used beverage cartons to contribute to a circular economy,” said Michael Wu, Managing Director of Tetra Pak Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia.  

The project entails establishing convenient collection points for Malaysians to recycle their used beverage cartons. These collection points can be found at participating local councils, schools, universities, and retailers.  

Once collected, the used beverage cartons are transported to a dedicated recycling facility, where they are recycled into new products such as roof tiles and panel boards. These roof tiles and panel boards are then donated to EPIC Homes, NGOs, and other community projects for use in building homes and refurbishment projects for Orang Asli communities and other people in need. 

This year, the CAREton Project has expanded to include more local councils and collection points, making it even easier for Malaysians to recycle their used beverage cartons. "Nestlé’s vision is that none of our packaging ends up in a landfill or as litter. In line with this, the CAREton project is one of the multiple initiatives of Nestlé Malaysia’s sustainable packaging and circularity strategy, which also includes our Project SAVE, that are implemented through our Strata Recycling, Door-to-Door Collection and KITAR Recycling programmes. Through such initiatives, we aim to shape a strong recycling mind-set among local communities. We are honoured to commemorate this milestone today with Tetra Pak and our local council partners, and we look forward to continue expanding Project CAREton to reach more Malaysians," said Juan Aranols, Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Malaysia. "Our collaborative efforts have demonstrated the power of public-private partnerships in driving sustainable impact, supporting our shared objective of a waste-free future for Malaysia.”

The expansion of the CAREton Project is a significant milestone in Malaysia's circular economy journey. It demonstrates how various entities can collectively contribute to a circular economy by working together to reduce waste, keep valuable resources in circulation, and create sustainable value chains. 

For more information about CAREton Project, please visit: https://www.recycle-easy.com.my/careton-project/.
To learn more about Tetra Pak and its sustainability efforts, kindly log on to www.tetrapak.com for more information. 

MEDIA CONTACTS

Tetra Pak Malaysia:
Christina Liew
christina.liew@tetrapak.com

PR Agency Contact:
TEAM LEWIS
Tanichka Achan
+60 11-1437 6280
tanichka.achan@teamlewis.com