Svenska
TMR’s objectives:
- Contribute to the national targets for packaging recycling, reduced littering and increased recycled plastic content.
- All separately collected packaging waste must undergo a full treatment procedure according to the waste hierarchy.
- Packaging should be turned into new packaging as much as possible.
- As far as possible, sorted material should be processed and become a finished raw material in Sweden.
- Maintain full traceability of the packaging in our operations.
TMR contributes to the transition to a circular economy by promoting reuse, design for recycling, high quality collection, sorting and recycling, and full traceability.
Traceability
TMR’s traceability system spans the entire chain from collection to reprocessed raw material that can go directly into the manufacturing process for new products or packaging. This means that we are able to follow up every single step of the process. We are looking for certified recyclers at all stages. TMR is a member of RecyClass, an industry initiative that promotes, among other things, the traceability of plastic waste and recycled plastic waste in Europe.
We have full traceability of all our material flows. In 2022, we launched a project to make this visible to our customers and stakeholders. All collected packaging is sorted in Sweden. TMR also processes household plastic packaging into finished plastic raw material in Sweden, which we are the only company to do so.
All recipients of sorted plastic material must be certified plastic recyclers under EU-Certplus, the only recognized certification for plastic recyclers. The system focuses on traceability throughout the recycling process and on the quality of the recycled content of the final product.
“Traceability is a prerequisite for a sustainable value chain, and is therefore an ongoing and prioritized work for us. We already have full knowledge of where and how our collected volumes are handled. Each step in the chain is monitored and reported internally.
In 2023, we will procure a third-party audit of all stages of our management process. This will be an important next step in the development process”,
Johanna Haapanen, Purchasing Manager
Metal packaging
In August 2022, TMR Productions opened a metal sorting line in Markaryd. Collected metal packaging began to be transported there in the fall and winter of 2022, and we will continue to do so in the future.
Paper packaging
TMR Production in Helsingborg packs collected paper packaging into bales and delivers them to paper mills. A mixture of materials such as liquid packaging board and corrugated board goes directly into the mill’s pulp, where paper fibers are separated from plastics and other materials.
The plastic waste from the processing of household paper packaging is used for energy recovery at Fiskeby Board, among others. TMR will soon start large-scale tests to enable these plastics to be recycled in TMR’s new plastic recycling plant, Omni Polymers in Ängelholm, instead.
In 2022, TMR had a recycling rate of 97% for household paper packaging, well above the national recycling target (85%).
Plastic packaging
Plastic packaging is delivered after collection and baling directly to Stena Recycling’s sorting facility in Lanna. In 2022 the following types of plastics were separated: HDPE, PP, PET bottles transparent, PET bottles colored, PET trays mono, PET trays mix, mix foil, Fines, and to some extent EPS/frigolite. We are also exploring solutions for rigid PS. Major investments at Stena Recycling’s sorting facility in Lanna are expected to improve efficiency and enable 3-4 additional plastics to be sorted. The recycling rate in 2022 (22%) was unchanged compared to 2021. However, recycling rates are expected to increase going forward with the new regulatory framework for packaging collection and increased investment in new recycling capacity.
Glass, wood and other packaging
In 2023, we intend to finalize negotiations with reception and sorting facilities for glass packaging. As with other materials, an important focus will be that glass packaging waste can, as far as possible, be recycled into new packaging. Under the new packaging regulation, even more materials will be collected in separate streams, including wood, porcelain, ceramics and cork. TMR also manages these in accordance with the EU’s common waste hierarchy.
Recycling and reducing packaging waste
Treating waste according to the waste hierarchy means that recycling must be combined with other actions. First and foremost, waste prevention. For the waste that inevitably arises, the priority is to prepare for reuse.
Together with producers, TMR carried out several pilot projects in 2022 to adapt collection systems for reuse and recycling. We worked to facilitate the reuse of plastic packaging such as cups and lunch boxes.
No leakage – preventing littering
Litter is the leakage from the circular economy and reducing litter is part of the producer responsibility for packaging. In 2022, talks were initiated with Keep Sweden Tidy on cooperation to reduce littering, which will be intensified in 2023.
In 2022, TMR engaged with affiliated producers to guide and drive change towards less plastic and packaging solutions that are clear and intuitive in terms of how to handle and sort them after emptying.
Read our sustainability report in Swedish here or read it in English here.