Cardboard packaging is often considered an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic, thanks to its renewable properties, biodegradability and recyclability. In addition to plain cardboard, variants such as corrugated cardboard and paperboard show great versatility, while corrugated cardboard provides solid support for transport.
Recently, around 70% of corrugated cardboard boxes in the world are recycled, which raises important questions about their impact on the environment. “Is cardboard harmful to the environment or is it a sustainable packaging solution?”
As one of the most used forms of packaging, cardboard deserves attention. This article explores the environmental consequences of its use, focusing on production, recycling and sustainability.
The impact of cardboard on the environment
The production and disposal of cardboard has a significant impact on the environment. On the one hand, cardboard and paper are biodegradable and easily recycled and later used as packaging for eggs and other foodstuffs, with an impressive recycling rate of 92.9%. However, the situation is not always simple.
The production of cardboard requires a lot of water and energy, and the use of raw wood pulp (the material used to make paper) contributes to deforestation and habitat destruction.
When cardboard ends up in landfills, it decomposes without oxygen, releasing methane, which has more than 20 times the greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide.
On the other hand, the paper industry is among the lowest emitters of greenhouse gases compared to other materials such as plastics.
Is cardboard toxic?
When talking about the toxicity of cardboard, it is important to consider how it is made and recycled. Health risks associated with cardboard often come from the chemicals used during recycling.
Recycled cardboard can contain mineral oils from paints, which can leach into food packaged in the cardboard. Long-term exposure to these oils can be linked to chronic inflammation and even cancer.
There is a safe limit for how much mineral oil can be in a carton, which is 0.6 milligrams per kilogram. This means that it is important to carefully monitor the cardboard used as food packaging.
All in all, it is important to have strict quality control in the production and recycling of cardboard in order to reduce possible health risks, especially when it comes to food packaging.
Can cardboard be recycled?
Cardboard recycling is the basis for waste management and reducing the impact on the environment. The process involves collecting, sorting and processing cardboard into new products, using:
- 25% to 50% less energy,
- Up to 99% less water than in the production of new cardboard.
Recycling reduces the need for new raw materials and saves 17 trees, 27 liters of water and 4,100 kilowatt-hours of energy per ton of recycled paper. The global rate of cardboard recycling is high, with countries such as the United States and France boasting rates of over 90%.
The production of new cardboard from raw materials could recycle one ton of cardboard, saving more than 6.88 cubic meters of landfill space.
However, challenges such as food waste contamination, the presence of adhesives and fiber degradation after multiple recycling cycles can affect the success of recycling.
How will the new regulations improve cardboard and paper recycling in Serbia?
In 2024, Serbia amended the regulation on packaging waste, introducing new goals for recycling and reuse of packaging within Regulation on reducing packaging waste.
According to the amended regulation, operators are obliged to, in cooperation with waste management companies, collect and recycle at least 20% of cardboard and paper waste, in addition to other materials such as plastic (10%) and glass (32%).
The changes are part of a wider waste management strategy aimed at reducing waste landfilling and encouraging the use of waste as a resource for the production of new products or energy. Also, a system of extended producer responsibility was introduced, where companies have to bear the costs of packaging management, including collection and recycling, or its use for energy production if recycling is not possible.
In addition, a new one was brought Regulations on packaging and packaging waste management reporting templates, which improves reporting and establishes a framework for environmental modulation, a financial mechanism that encourages more sustainable packaging design.
Cardboard packaging: Conclusion
Cardboard packaging has environmental advantages due to its biodegradability and recyclability, but its production requires large amounts of water and energy. Cardboard recycling saves resources and reduces the need for new raw materials, but problems such as contamination and fiber degradation make the process difficult.
In 2024, Serbia introduced new regulations that encourage a higher recycling rate and more responsible use of cardboard packaging. These changes are aimed at reducing the harmful impact on the environment and promoting circularity economy of the statewhere packaging is recycled and used as a resource for new products or energy.
Therefore, cardboard packaging can be a sustainable solution, but only with proper management of its production, recycling and disposal, in order to reduce its negative impact on the ecosystem.
Source: www.economy.rs
