In this guide, you'll discover everything you need to know about recycling packaging materials, including the eco-friendliness and recyclability of various options like paper and cardboard, plastic, metal, glass, and wood. We'll also explore the role of ink and its environmental impact throughout the recycling process.
When selecting packaging for your unique boxes, opting for materials that balance environmental responsibility and cost-effectiveness is essential. Various materials, such as paper, paperboard, glass, plastics, metal, and wood, offer different advantages depending on your packaging needs.
Recyclable packaging is particularly valuable as it minimizes environmental impact. By using materials that can be processed and reused, you contribute to sustainability and reduce waste. This aligns with modern consumers' expectations for eco-friendly business practices, making your brand stand out as socially responsible. Recyclable materials promote a circular economy, where resources are continuously reused, benefiting both the environment and your brand’s reputation.
Incorporating recyclable and visually appealing materials ensures your packaging protects the product, enhances aesthetics, and meets sustainability goals. This holistic approach to packaging design helps create a positive impression on environmentally conscious customers.
At CustPrints, we concentrate on environmentally friendly, previously recycled paper and paperboard packaging. Our goal is to offer you high-quality, reasonably priced, sustainable, and environmentally friendly packaging.
Products can be made from recyclable packaging materials like cardboard, paper, and plastic. Reducing waste and promoting sustainability are two benefits of using these materials.
Paper and Paperboard Packaging
The most commonly used packaging material is paper and paperboard, primarily driven by the beverage industry, with other food items following closely. This material’s popularity stems from its lightweight nature, which makes it cost-effective for transportation, while still providing ample protection for products. Additionally, white and brown paperboard packaging is highly recyclable, requiring minimal effort—simply place it in a bin designated for paper products.
However, not all paper-based packaging is equally sustainable. Materials that are coated or dyed pose recycling challenges. Coatings must be separated before the recycling process can begin, while dyed paper often requires bleaching to restore its recyclability. Opting for uncoated, undyed paperboard or using minimal, eco-friendly coatings can make a significant difference in enhancing recyclability and supporting sustainable practices.
By carefully selecting and designing your packaging materials, you can ensure they align with environmental standards while maintaining their practicality and appeal.
Coating on Packaging
Coated packaging contains a layer of coating that is usually made from polymer. The coating protects the printing ink and improves the gloss, smoothness, and brightness of your packaging.
A type of outer coating called lamination, for instance, covers packaging with a thin layer of plastic to enhance its appearance and safeguard its design. One kind of water-based coating used to seal ink onto packaging is called aqueous coating. Although lamination offers superior protection, it is less expensive and more ecologically friendly, and it comes in a variety of finishes. Aqueous coating is more environmentally friendly than other varnish types because it is water-based and recyclable. UV coating is another kind of recyclable coating.
Because lamination is typically made of plastic, which is more difficult to recycle (see the section below on Plastic Packaging), it is generally less environmentally friendly. A more eco-friendly option is laminate made from soy polymers.
Paper and paperboard coated with petroleum-based lamination, regrettably, are not recyclable and must be disposed of in the garbage. It is difficult to remove the thin layer of plastic that lines the packaging. Some examples are leak-proof paper plates, take-out containers, and coffee cups.
For now, while petroleum-based lamination may not be accessible in recycling, some ideas give a glimpse of the future of this type of coating. As an illustration, there are now resins and laminations that can be recycled with gas-barrier water-soluble materials, PE films, and even paper laminates!
Ink on Packaging
Coatings enhance the durability and appearance of packaging, while inks add vibrant colors and tints. Common ink types for printing include solvent-based, petroleum-based, water-based, radiation-curable, and vegetable-based inks. Among these, the two primary options are petroleum-based inks and soy-based inks.
CustPrints prioritizes sustainability by using soy-based inks, a type of vegetable-based ink.
Petroleum-based inks, on the other hand, are environmentally harmful and more costly than soy-based inks. They contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like toluene, benzene, and xylene, which pose risks to the environment, human health, and animals.
Conversely, soy-based inks are eco-friendlier and yield bright, vibrant colors. They require fewer chemical additives compared to petroleum-based inks and are more biodegradable. The oil from soybeans is refined and combined with other natural compounds such as waxes and resins. Because soybean oil is clearer and less greasy, soy-based inks produce more vibrant results than petroleum-based alternatives.
With an understanding of coatings and inks used in paper and paperboard packaging, the next step is learning how to recycle your box.
Recycling Paper and Cardboard
Paper and cardboard decompose much faster in nature compared to other materials. Paper takes approximately 2-6 weeks to break down, while cardboard takes around 2 months. Despite their fast decomposition rates, they don’t need to end up in landfills because they are highly recyclable.
The recycling process for paper and cardboard begins at a recycling plant after separation. A cardboard baling machine compacts the cardboard into bales, which are then delivered to paper mills for further processing. At the mills, the bales are unwrapped, and the cardboard is mixed with water to form pulp. This pulp goes through multiple filtering stages to remove contaminants and impurities.
During a process called de-inking, the pulp fibers are dispersed in water and treated with surfactants to extract ink particles. Bleach is then added to brighten the pulp. For colored paper, mills may use a process called blackwashing or whitewashing to turn it into a uniform solid color before recycling. Otherwise, the ink from the paper can bleed into the batch of recycled pulp. The cleaned pulp is then fed into a paper machine, where water is removed from the slurry, forming long sheets of paper.
These sheets can be transformed into a variety of products, including new boxes, printer paper, writing paper, tissue paper, and toilet paper.
Soy-based ink aged for 4 weeks is significantly easier to remove during the de-inking process compared to other types of ink. This results in less fiber damage and produces brighter paper. Additionally, the waste from soy-based ink is non-hazardous, making it simpler and more cost-effective to manage.
Recycling laminated packaging is challenging, uncommon, and not yet widely viable, but it is not entirely impossible. Several methods exist for recycling lamination, including mechanical recycling, chemical and thermal recycling, and organic recycling.
In mechanical recycling, plastic concentrates are sorted and sent to recycling facilities, where they are ground, washed, separated, and dried for use in other plastic products. However, most recycled laminated packaging is too contaminated for reuse in food-grade applications. Laminated layers often form uneven blends, compromising the quality of the recycled plastics, particularly when the materials have different melting points.
Chemical and thermal recycling processes break down plastics into their chemical components, which can then be transformed into products such as chemicals, monomers for new plastics, or fuels. For mixed plastic waste, thermal recycling is often preferred over mechanical methods.
Organic recycling focuses on biodegradable multi-material laminates. This process involves recycling biodegradable materials mixed with other biodegradable substances, allowing them to biodegrade together. While this method is technically feasible, it is limited to biodegradable materials.
How to Recycle Amazon Packaging?
Recycling Disassembling boxes, sorting materials, and placing them in the proper recycling bins are all part of Amazon packaging. Plastic films are one example of an element that might need specialized recycling facilities.
Reusing paper and paperboard packaging either results in more paper packaging or gives it a new purpose as other valuable goods. Recycling paper packaging correctly ensures that it is environmentally friendly.
Now that you are aware of the various parts of paper and paperboard packaging and how they are recycled, you can inquire about the specifics of recycling at your local recycling facilities. There are convenient drop-off locations in many cities where you can get rid of your paper packaging.
Glass Packaging
One of the most fragile materials used in packaging is glass. A significant portion of glass packaging is used in the beverage industry, and this is partly because beer consumption is rising. Usually applied to jars or bottles, it can be debossed and embossed with designs and logos. Glass takes a million years to naturally break down after being thrown away, despite being 100% recyclable, reducing climate change, and conserving natural resources.
Only complete bottles and jars should be disposed of in the proper bin for glass recycling. Broken glass can embed in and harm other recyclable materials like cardboard or paper, and it can break into smaller pieces that are challenging to collect. Because it will not mix well due to its significantly higher melting point than other glasses, oven-proof glass is a contaminant and should not be thrown in. To contaminate one ton of recycled glass, five grams of ovenproof glass are needed. Due to their different grades and inability to mix well, drinking glasses are also a contaminant.
Glass can be recycled repeatedly without losing its structure or quality. Cullets, or leftover glass, make up 80% of bottles and glass. Cullets are gathered by glass collection companies or reprocessors and transported to glass recycling facilities. Any contaminants are eliminated and the purity of the cullets is checked. Next, they are crushed and added to the mixture in the melting furnace. New bottles and jars are formed from the melted glass.
Because glass is heavier and more brittle than plastic, shipping it costs a lot more. Additionally, it has a much higher melting point than plastic and is more expensive to produce because of heating expenses. It uses a lot of energy and accounts for 1% of all industrial use. It is primarily powered by natural gas.
Source: Beer Connoisseur
Glass packaging, while elegant and reusable, comes with challenges such as its weight and fragility. Its heavier weight increases transportation costs, and it is prone to breakage during handling. To mitigate these issues, box inserts are often used. These inserts help secure each bottle in place, preventing them from colliding with one another and ensuring safe delivery.
Glass packaging is highly recyclable and offers endless possibilities for creative design. However, due to its delicate nature and weight, it requires thoughtful handling and disposal. Always ensure that glass packaging is properly recycled to minimize environmental impact.
Plastic Packaging
Source: Argo Chemistry
Plastic packaging is versatile and can be both rigid and flexible, making it suitable for a wide range of products. The food and beverage industry is reliant on plastic packaging to protect and preserve the quality of the food inside. There are numerous varieties of plastic packaging that specialize in different forms of protection.
Some types include:
PETE/PET: Polyethylene terephthalate
- Uses: Plastic soda bottles, polyester fibers, thermoformed sheets
- Recyclability: widely recyclable, generally considered safe with some precautions, remove lids first
HDPE: High density polyethylene
- Uses: Grocery bags, recycling bins, tubs, and jugs
- Recyclability: widely recyclable, but consult your local recyclers if tubs and lids should be separated, generally considered safe with some precautions
PVC/V: Polyvinyl chloride
- Uses: Pipe, fencing, non-food bottles
- Recyclability: Not widely recyclable, avoid because toxins can get into food, not environmentally friendly
LDPE: Low density polyethylene
- Uses: Plastic bags, 6 pack rings, tubing, containers
- Recyclability: Not widely recyclable, generally considered safe, some grocery stores collect plastic bags
PP: Polypropylene
- Uses: Food containers, dishware, auto parts
- Recyclability: Not widely recyclable, generally considered safe
PS: Polystyrene
- Uses: Desk accessories, cafeteria trays, toys, video cassettes, and cases
- Recyclability: Not widely recyclable, avoid because styrene may leach into food and beverages
Other
- Uses: glasses, CDs and DVDs, baby bottles
- Recyclability: Not recycled, more often reused, avoid BPA (Bisphenol-A) that can leach into food and beverages
Items made of plastic typically take a thousand years to break down. Plastic bottles take 450 years to break down, while plastic grocery bags take 10–20 years. In contrast, cardboard takes two months to decompose and paper waste takes two to six weeks.
Recycling plastic has certainly alleviated some of the environmental strain, but unfortunately, the vast majority (91%) of plastics are either incinerated or end up in landfills after just one use. Some plastics, particularly those that are more valuable, tend to be recycled more frequently. For instance, PETE/PET and HDPE plastics are the most commonly recycled in the United States. However, if local demand for a specific type of plastic isn't high, it may not be economically viable to recycle that material. Consequently, less in-demand plastics are more likely to be discarded or incinerated.
The plastic industry is expected to grow significantly, with a projected 33% increase in plastic chemical ingredients by 2025. The United Nations has warned that by 2050, the weight of plastic in the ocean could surpass that of fish.
Each type of plastic has unique characteristics, which is why it's essential to separate plastics before recycling. When plastics are mixed together, their qualities can be compromised, which affects the recycling process. In a recycling plant, the separated plastics are shredded, and non-plastic contaminants are removed. The shredded plastic is then turned into pellets, which are melted to form new products. However, if there are impurities in the melted batch, the quality of the recycled plastic is diminished, making it less likely to be reused again. Due to this quality degradation, the plastic from a bottle is rarely recycled back into another bottle and tends to be repurposed for products like park benches or speed bumps.
Many food packaging materials are made from multilayer plastics, often bonded with the packaging itself, making them difficult or impossible to recycle.
Packaging recycling is a vital process to reduce waste, conserve resources, and mitigate environmental impact. Plastic packaging has many benefits in terms of versatility and protection, but it's crucial to consider its recyclability and the environmental consequences of its disposal. Before using plastic packaging, it's a good idea to check with your local recycling facilities to determine which types of plastics they accept.
Metal Packaging
Metal packaging is common in the food industry and is primarily used for cans made of aluminum and tin. Metal is a 100% barrier against gases, liquids, and light. It can have labels and other items affixed to it, as well as be embossed or debossed. Soda cans are tightly sealed and can be decorated on the material.
Aluminum cans are one of the most easily recyclable materials because aluminum is 100% recyclable and is melted down to make more cans. It is a “closed loop” that does not affect the quality. Since aluminum cans contain 70% recycled metal, they are by far the most environmentally friendly beverage container. Creating aluminum cans with recycled aluminum uses 95% less energy than using new aluminum. A ton of recycled aluminum saves 10 cubic yards of landfill space, 40 barrels of oil, and 14,000 kilowatt hours of energy.
When planning to recycle cans, first clean out any liquids or food. Ask your local facilities if the paper wrappings need to be removed. When it comes to food cans, take off the top and put it inside. Be careful not to crush cans because it can contaminate the batch. You can either deliver them to your neighborhood recycling facilities or recycle them in the appropriate bin.
When empty cans are delivered to the recycling facility, they are placed in a holding area with the other aluminum cans. When there are sufficient cans, they are broken up into a bale and delivered to recyclers of aluminum, where they are heated and shredded into molten aluminum. Ingots are formed from them and other cans. After that, the can-making process is restarted. Within 60 days, recycled cans can be transformed into brand-new beverage cans.
Recycling metal packaging is quick and energy-efficient, and it has excellent barrier qualities. Make sure you properly clean and dispose of your cans.
Wood Packaging
Wood packaging is commonly used in various industries like food, automotive, and chemicals to protect and support products, especially large containers. It is an eco-friendly option because wood can be recycled into products like paper, mulch, animal bedding, and boards. Many wood drop-off centers exist where people can dispose of wood for recycling, helping to reduce waste and promote reuse.
Treated wood, while providing enhanced protection and lasting 20-30 years longer than untreated wood, comes with some environmental concerns. The chemicals used to treat the wood can be harmful, and such wood cannot be recycled until the treated layers are removed. Additionally, burning treated or painted wood releases toxins, which pose health risks. For safe disposal, it's recommended to take treated wood to local landfills or remove the coatings before recycling. Recycled wood packaging is repurposed into a variety of products, contributing to a sustainable cycle of reuse.
It's best to leave the recycling of wood to local drop-off centers where professionals can manage the process efficiently and safely.
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You can begin choosing the best materials for your business now that you know the various kinds of materials used in packaging and whether they can be recycled!
CustPrints specializes in premium paper packaging, and the majority of our products are made from previously used post-consumer content. There is more to our environmental mission than that! Take a look at our sustainability page to learn about our use of soy-based ink and tree planting!
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