Paper and cardboard are seen by some brands as a smart winning idea to help them achieve their plastic reduction goals. Many companies have replaced their plastic product packaging with eco-friendly packaging and paper bags. H&M is also replacing plastic packaging in its stores with paper, while its online business is coordinating plastic bag replacement with cartons. Regardless, the Plastics Association is fighting back, emphasizing that plastics are more stable and produce less radiation during transport. A problem occurred.
Cardboard box or plastic box?
A standard sleeve packaging weighs 0.7 pounds, according to PAC Worldwide, more than 0.05 pounds for airbag mail, resulting in higher vehicle clearance and fuel costs. These figures reflects in life cycle assessments for cardboard and paper, which are more influence by their overall properties than plastics.
An estimate of 25-30% paper reject for reuse is thrown into landfills or consuming with food and various other substances. Paper and board recycling rates in the US and Europe appear to be good. Recycling rates are reported at 74% in the US and 86% in the EU. Moreover, a closer look shows that the picture is not rosy: In 2019, unmistakable media reports indicated that only one percent of the waste is intended for reuse as a small portion is reused.
Reuse rates are base on the percentage of waste planned to be reused, not the percentage of reused waste. With China no longer buying imported waste, waste is flowing to low-income countries in Southeast Asia. Plus, it’s no small problem: In 2016, 74% of the UK’s waste was traded with China, which now includes Southeast Asian countries from Malaysia and Bangladesh to Vietnam. Likewise, in the United States, about 80% of waste incinerators operate under a low-wage system.
Cardboard boxes are safer to use.
Some brands still use plastic instead of eco-friendly packaging, and after LCA harmonized their packaging, ASOS has decided to continue using plastic for its online business, rather than switching to paper or cardboard boxes. In addition, retailers with simple structures may have reusable postal packaging programs. In any case, LCAs don’t show the full picture in most cases. It is in addition to carbon emissions and excludes the impact on end-of-life products, raw material extraction, and unsafe product manufacturing.
Furthermore, as research by Friends of the Earth Europe and Zero Waste Europe show, various life cycle assessments focus on the assumption that 100% of waste streams should be landfilled, consumed, or reused. It is in stark contrast to the current situation in which large quantities of packaging materials are dumped in land and marine environments.
LCA also looked at the impact of paper made from virgin materials. Recycle paper is inherently more resilient and can use up to 70% less than paper prepare from unprocessed virgin material. Paper and cardboard are returning to a more rustic option, as they are bio-base, recyclable, and biodegradable in some environments.
The first step is to ensure that customers fully reuse waste materials. Around 66% of UK households say they can’t do anything about what goes into the leftover bin, with more than 75% saying they would still add locally unauthorized items to the reuse pool. Food contamination and a range of substances in paper and cardboard further complicate the problem.
Recyclable Colored Shipping Box
A key feature of colorful boxes is that they are highly recyclable. Customers can use these boxes for various DIY projects. Also, they can reuse them for different purposes. Luxurious and beautifully designed boxes aren’t just for throwing away. It is the ultimate technique for brand recognition. Customize express boxes will keep by your customers for a long time.
Friends of the Earth Europe and Zero Waste Europe show that various life cycle assessments focus on the assumption. 100% of waste streams should be landfilled, consumed, or reused. It is according to the current situation in which large quantities of printed packaging boxes are dumped in land and marine environments. It’s worth noting that some of the waste we told you about ended up in landfills. It was not sent to reuse facilities, or was consumed due to overflows in the value chain. And weaknesses in the reuse of these new waste targets, making them very disjointed and dirty.
Paper and cardboard are said to be biodegradable. But they are just targeting landfills and don’t take as long to break down as plastics do. Nor do they sequester carbon as stably as plastics and increase methane gas emissions. In any case, the obvious difference is that paper and cardboard are not typical plastics. So if they end up in oceans or rivers. They don’t pose much of a threat to our normal habitats. In any case, there is no clear data on the amount of cardboard and paper lost. And its impact on the planet, nor is it possible to quickly assess it.
