Corrugated & The Environment

Corrugated, made from a natural, renewable resource, is frequently manufactured using high percentages of recycled fiber, is often reused multiple times, and is recycled more than any other packaging material used today.  Cradle-to-grave environmental stewardship is a basic hallmark of corrugated production, from management of renewable resources, to responsible manufacturing processes, to widespread recovery and recycling.

Every step of the manufacturing process has been modified over the years to become more earth-friendly. Corrugated material meets all environmental guidelines and exceeds the spirit of all government and industry mandates based on environmental concerns.  Potential pollutants in inks and other substances applied to corrugated have been decreased.  Box plant wastewater has been cleaned up, reduced and sometimes eliminated.  Corrugated products have even been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for direct food contact.

Here are some important steps the corrugated industry takes to protect the environment:

• Recycling
• Using earth-friendly inks
• Eliminating impact on the ozone layer
• Decreasing formaldehyde use
• Diminishing waste water
• Recycling box plant waste
• Meeting health, safety and environmental packaging requirements
• Practicing source reduction

Less Is More

Box manufacturers have learned to make stronger boxes using less raw material. Environmentalists call this source reduction: using less raw material, and generating less waste at the source. Corrugated packaging also allows significant source reduction by eliminating the need for overwraps and secondary packaging.

The corrugated packaging industry practices continuous source reduction. From 1994 to 2005 the amount of corrugated used to ship a unit of domestic industrial production has decreased by 19 percent. Corrugated manufacturers have contributed significantly to this reduction by designing more efficient packages, stronger papers and improving boxplant converting processes. (FBA)

A Cleaner, Greener End Product

Through its ongoing commitment and attention to all aspects of corrugated production and renewal, the corrugated industry continues striving to produce the cleanest, greenest packaging material on earth.  Meanwhile, ongoing research promises to develop even greater advances every day, helping maintain corrugated's leadership in preserving the earth's natural resources for future generations.