Recycling is undoubtedly a key factor in a circular economy and our way of life. It is a vital part of our everyday lives and corporate sustainability strategies. As it should be, to not let the world run out of materials to recycle. In this equation, an ever-growing need for packaging is both part of the challenge and part of the solution.
It’s no joke. For example, digitalisation diminishes the amount of recyclable raw material, as we tend to consume our news and editorials via screens. So imagine if we actually ran out of paperboard. How would we replace the packaging material? With glass, metal, or even plastics? The question in itself seems absurd, as there are countless initiatives to replace as many non-renewable materials, such as plastic, with renewable ones.
Consequently, the demand for renewable paperboard packaging is constantly increasing. For this, we must thank company commitments and consumers choices. But why don’t we just recycle the same materials again and again? Wouldn’t that be the most environmentally friendly thing to do?
The circular economy needs a fresh start
The circular economy often boils down to three things: reducing, reusing, and recycling.
But the fourth R, renewable materials, is usually forgotten. To keep the circular system working, we need something to start with. And fresh wood fibre is a perfect raw material in this sense. It is pure and strong and hence can be recycled multiple times.
The average Joe usually perceives rough surfaces and brownish-grey packaging as the most sustainable option. The colour of the packaging, however, is really not an indicator of environmental friendliness (even if some companies go to the extent of printing white paperboard brown to make it appear more sustainable). This is because both virgin paperboard and recycled paperboard used for packaging are equally good and necessary parts of the same cycle.
Nothing lasts forever, as they say, and after a certain amount of circulation, the quality simply gets too poor to perform for even the most basic applications, such as transport packaging that does not need to look pretty but to endure. However, before that, let’s do everything in our power to recycle all the packaging to the fullest. In Finland, Rinki and producer organisations are working hard to find ways to make packaging recycling easy. They make sorting advice easy and understandable so that everyone can sort as smoothly as possible, while Rinki looks after the nationwide recycling stations.
Sometimes recycling is simply not possible (or safe)
Recycling instructions vary by country, area, or even housing cooperative. But generally, stuffing your recycle bin with used tissue papers and greasy food wrappings is not a good idea. When misplaced, they can unnecessarily contaminate perfectly good recyclables.
Or how does a tasty Friday pizza delivered in chemically treated recycled packaging sound? Luckily, there are food-related product safety standards for packaging to prevent recycled traces of chemicals from ending up on our plates. In the EU, the USA, and the Asia-Pacific area, there are regulations on materials intended to come into direct contact with food to ensure that products are safe and hygienic for consumption. The packaging industry is working hard on developing safer, more renewable alternatives for products such as food and drink containers. Cross-industry alliance 4evergreen brings together the whole industry, from forests to producers and from brand owners, designers, and recyclers. They come together with a shared goal - reaching a 90% recycling rate for fibre-based packaging by 2030.
Sustainable forest management is a must for the packaging industry
Big things are happening as the EU Commission is preparing the implementation of the EU’s new deforestation regulation. The goal of this is to prevent commodities driving deforestation from entering the EU market.
Ultimately, the entity – securing forest biodiversity, carbon storage, and the merry-go-round of the circular economy – is a joint effort. And for this mission, alliances like 4evergreen have been established among companies to further perfect the already high circularity of fibre-based packaging.
What can I do as a consumer?
Ever find yourself thinking, am I doing enough when it comes to sustainability and recycling? Reducing unnecessary consumption is the baseline, but you are also welcome to take a quick look at this checklist.
- Focus on packaging. When possible, purchase items packed in renewable and recyclable materials.
- Remember to recycle according to the local instructions. And think of creative ways to turn the rubbish in your home into treasures.
- Give feedback about lousy packaging! Did you just receive an item packed first in a paperboard box, followed by a double layer of bubble wrap? If it feels like it’s too much, speak up and reach out directly to the companies.
