Renewability

Paper packaging accounts for nearly three quarters of all packaging materials recovered for recycling, totaling nearly 25 million tons. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

In the U.S., 87 percent of the population has access to curbside or drop-off paper recycling programs. (American Forest & Paper Association)

In 2008, a record-high 57.4 percent of paper consumed in the U.S. was recovered for recycling. (American Forest & Paper Association)

Recycled paperboard represents the largest market for recycled paper in the U.S. (Earth 911)

In the U.S., 33 percent of materials used to make paper come from recycled paper.(Earth 911)

More than half of the products on supermarket shelves are now packaged in recycled paperboard. (Pulp & Paper Factbook)

The lifecylce of paperboard begins in the forest, when raw materials, namely trees, are responsibly harvested and begin their journey to the store shelf. Responsible forestry is one key to paperboard's sustainable success: five trees are planted for every one that is harvested.

Recycled paperboard is an essential component of many types of paperboard packaging. Post-industrial and post-consumer paperboard can be recycled into new paperboard up to seven times. After that, fiber from paperboard can be recycled yet again, into other products including insulation, wallboard and soil enhancements. The diagrams below further illustrate paperboard's lifecycle:

courtesy of Pro Carton 

 

source: EPA