Across Europe, millions of citizens dutifully rinse, flatten and sort their Tetra Paks like participants in a continent-wide recycling religion. The carton enters the sacred bag, Brussels smiles, and the circular economy is officially saved.
Then comes the awkward question: where the fuck does it actually go?
Apparently, this is where transparency goes to die. We have directives, targets, labels, colour codes, recycling logos and enough paperwork to flatten a forest. But ask who physically separates the paper, plastic and aluminium, where this happens, and what becomes of it afterwards, and suddenly everyone develops amnesia.
Perhaps the cartons are recycled. Perhaps they are exported. Perhaps they are sent to a monastery in Luxembourg where EU officials whisper sustainability targets over them until they become circular.