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 packaging contains 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.

For example, lamination is a type of outer coating that adds a thin layer of plastic over packaging that improves the appearance and protects the packaging design. Aqueous coating is 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 is water-based, 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 is less environmentally friendly because 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 lamination cannot be recycled and 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 of resins and lamination that can be recycled with PE films, water-soluble materials that are gas barriers, and even paper-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.  

Petroleum inks are environmentally hazardous and are more expensive than soy-based ink. They contain volatile organic compounds such as toluene, benzene, and xylene which are harmful to the environment, people, and animals.

On the contrary, soy-based inks are more eco-friendly and produce bright and vibrant colors. They require less chemical input compared to petroleum-based ink and are more biodegradable. Oil from soybeans is refined and is mixed in with other natural compounds such as waxes and resins. Soy-based inks tend to be more vibrant than petroleum-based inks because their oil is clearer and not as greasy.

Now that you know the types of coating and inks that are used in paper and paperboard packaging, the next step is to know how to recycle your box.