Currently, in Vietnam’s market, milk and juice cartons are considered potential materials for the production of roofing and recycled paper. This type of carton is able to make green and environmentally friendly materials.

Potential and environmentally friendly materials

Every day, more than 23,000 tons of wastes are handled primarily by burial pressure. That causes many effects on land and environment. In fact, the milk and juice cans are widely used. According to Mr. Hoang Trung Son, a representative of eco-roofing manufacturer, these cartons can be 100% recycled. Technology of ecological roof made from recycled materials was first introduced in Vietnam in the international exhibition of Paper Chem Tech Vietnam 2012. This product is considered one of the feasible and environmentally friendly products.

Mr. Hoang Trung Son said that milk and fruit juice cartons usually consist of 6 layers, of which contain large amount of paper and small amount of aluminum or plastic. To produce eco-roofing, components of the carton containing paper, aluminum and plastic should be separated.  The extracted amount of plastic and aluminum will be dried and chopped into pieces and then pressed to shape products. If pressed into flat sheets, it can be used as ceilings and soundproof walls. Bacuse this material is thicker than other roofing products so this type of roofing is resistant to humid and hot environment. Its heatproof and soundproof are much better than other types of roofing. The extracted paper will be recycled to make high quality paper.

Waste classification   

Ecological roof made from recycled materials has been used popularly. Typically, the launching ceremony of the campaign of "Green Product Consumption" in last May provided 300 m² of eco-roof to Nhi Xuan Elementary School (Xuan Thoi Son Commune, Hoc Mon District. Ho Chi Minh City). In 2012, it is estimated that 3,800 tons of milk cantons are recycled, while the number of wasted milk cantons is much higher. The roofing manufacturers from recyled waste target to recycle at least 20 thousand tons of this waste every year.

According to Mr Son, the biggest difficulty for facilities which manufacture roof fron recycled waste is to find input material.  In fact, people do not have habit of collecting milk and juice cartons. If people have waste sorting habits at source, the recycled waste will be easier. So, people should be encouraged to sort waste and collect milk cantons through activities such as milk cantons exchange gifts, promotions, awards for individuals and units collected lots of milk cartons. Related agencies and departments should also provide the necessary knowledge about the effects of using green materials to society, the environment and health of the community.