Why is the cap on a carton stuck to the pack?

New rules require packaging that is more respectful of the environment

Image: Tetra Pak

European waste legislation will only allow single-use plastic packaging if lids and caps stay attached. Central Lechera Asturiana got ahead of the rule and in March 2022 launched new cartons with the cap attached to the pack.

Tetra Pak, a company specialising in food packaging and processing solutions, has raised awareness of the problem of waste that is not recycled. It reports that around 80% of the litter found in our oceans is plastic, and that loose caps are among the 5 most common items found in this waste. Much of this plastic ends up in nature and takes hundreds of years to break down.

Cartons are now sold with attached caps to make them easier to recycle

In March 2022, the Central Lechera Asturiana brand began producing packs with an attached cap to get ahead of the European waste legislation, which comes into force in July 2024. The aim of the new rules is to reduce the amount of plastic waste released into the environment, and they state that single-use plastic packaging may only be sold if lids and caps remain attached. That is why companies such as Coca-Cola are also starting to distribute bottles with the cap attached.