Paper and Paperboard Packaging

The most used packaging material by far is paper and paperboard. Beverages contribute the most to paper packaging and other food items are on the rise. It is lightweight and protects the products, making it cost-effective for transportation. White and brown paperboard packaging is easily recyclable - just throw it in the proper bin that accepts paper products.

However, packaging that has been coated or dyed is more difficult to recycle. The coating needs to be separated before recycling, and dyed paper needs to be bleached to be fully recyclable.

Coated packagingcontains a layer of coating that is usually made from polymer. The benefits of coating are that it makes your packaging glossier, smoother, brighter, and protects the ink that is being printed.

Per esempio,laminazioneis a type of outer coating that adds a thin layer of plastic over packaging that improves the appearance and protects the packaging design.Aqueous coatingis a type of coating that is water-based and is used to seal ink onto packaging. It comes in different finishes and is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than lamination, but lamination has better protection. Since aqueous coating isa base d'acqua, it is more eco-friendly than other types of varnish and can be recycled as is. Another type of recyclable coatings is UV coating.

Generally, lamination isless environmentally friendlybecause it is made of plastic that is more difficult to recycle (see Plastic Packaging section below). A more eco-friendly option is laminate made from soy polymers.

Unfortunately, paper and paperboards that are coated with petroleum-based laminationcannot be recycledand have to be thrown in the trash. The thin layer of plastics lining the packaging cannot be removed easily. 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, there are some ideas that give a glimpse of the future of this type of coating. For example, there is the development ofresins and laminationthat can be recycled withPEfilms,water-soluble materialsthat are gas barriers, and evenpaper-laminates!

Inks add colors and tints for packaging. Some types of inks used for printing are solvent-based, petroleum-based, water-based, radiation-curable, and vegetable-based inks. The two main types of inks used are petroleum-based inks and soy-based inks. PackMojo uses soy-based inks which are vegetable-inks.

Gli inchiostri di petrolio sono pericolosi ecologici e sono più costosi dell'inchiostro a base di soia. Contengono composti organici volatili come toluene, benzene e xilene che sono dannosi per l'ambiente, le persone e gli animali.

Al contrario, gli inchiostri a base di soia sono più ecologici e producono colori brillanti e vibranti. Lororichiedono meno input chimiciRispetto all'inchiostro a base di petrolio e sono più biodegradabili. L'olio dai semi di soia è raffinato e viene miscelato con altri composti naturali come cere e resine. Gli inchiostri a base di soia tendono ad essere più vibranti degli inchiostri a base di petrolio perché il loro petrolio è più chiaro e non grasso.

Ora che conosci i tipi di rivestimento e inchiostri utilizzati nella confezione di carta e cartone, il passo successivo è sapere come riciclare la tua scatola.