Sustainable Corrugated Packaging: How to Reuse and Recycle Properly
Sustainability is one of the most essential practices that humans need to take up in a world that is sinking into pollution. Materials which are sustainable should be promoted and brought into the chain of supply and demand. The experts of corrugated box manufacturers use the wood pulp to create these containers which have a recovery rate of about 90%. In industries like Canpac, the corrugated box manufacturers in Ahmedabad have contributed significantly in making this a popular packaging material.
Corrugated packages are exceptionally strong, flexible and have a durable property. Along with that, they are economical, recyclable and eco-friendly which is why many packaging industries are shifting to corrugated boxes rather than cardboard boxes.
Understanding the recycling process of corrugated material
Businesses that regularly look for packaging solutions use the old corrugated containers (OCCs). Once they have dropped off these packages, they are sorted and compacted to create space efficient storage. Next, they are taken to the paper mill where it gets inside repulper which is almost like a big blender. It forms a slushy pulp and filters the contaminants. The extracted fibre solution is poured into a moving screen where the water is dried away and a fibrous mat is formed. This flat structure is placed between the rollers to drain out any additional liquid content. This fibrous sheet is placed through a dryer that helps to get rid of the slightest of the moisture that might be present. The paper is then placed into a huge reel spool and rewound through proper measurements. Once done, the rolls are transferred to the sheet plants where they are shifted into corrugated packages again.
How the recycling is done
Every time the corrugated materials are sent for recycling, the initial length of the fibres get smaller which is why the material can be recycled somewhere from 5 to 7 times before they become too small to use. Once it ends the recycling span, the material is converted into a paper paste that is used to produce egg cartons or newspapers.
The first thing required in recycling the corrugated material is removal of any non-paper packaging substances. For instance, bits of packaging peanuts, air pillow, or styrofoam can be inside the packaging material. Before recycling it is important to make the material clean and dry. It should also be carefully checked if the material contains any heavy food stain because that can hinder the recycling process. Even the damaged boxes can be recycled once they are dried and properly cleaned.
Lastly, these materials are flattened and placed in a recycling bin.
What to do after recycling?
One of the best features of corrugated packages is that they can be reused. The flexibility and durability of the material has given this unique capacity to reuse the boxes over and over again. Even after it has shipped a certain consumer good, they can be folded, flattened and stored away for any further use. All you have to do is keep the corners and the sides strong and clean so that next time when you reshape, it can become like a first time look.
Whether you are packing things while house transferring or shipping a gift to your friend, having an old corrugated box at home can be of real help because you do not have to worry about the quality of packaging. Not just for transferring, they are also ideal for storing things for both residential and industrial purposes.
