Why paperboard packaging?

Paperboard, what some may mistakenly refer to as "cardboard," is a thicker form of paper used in consumer packaging. Here are some need-to-know facts about paperboard:

While cardboard is a type of paperboard, other examples include drink boxes, cereal containers, detergent packaging, shoe boxes and tissue containers.
More than 85 percent of the U.S. population has access to paperboard recycling.
Paperboard had a recovery rate of 75 percent in 2008 ‚Äì the second highest of all paper products, behind newspapers.
Recycled paperboard represents the largest market for recycled paper in the U.S.
Paperboard can be produced from 100 percent recycled paper or entirely from virgin wood sources, depending on the product for which it is used.
Paperboard is often coated with kaolin clay to improve its printing surface, which does not hinder its recyclability.
Paperboard is recycled using a single-grade process, meaning no other type of paper is mixed in during manufacturing.
There are more than 80 recycled paperboard mills in North America.
One hundred percent recycled paperboard has been used for more than 125 years.
Recycled paperboard represents the largest market for recycled paper in the US.

Paper spool

Carded Graphics'
consumer tips
on recycling paperboard

Here are a few tips for optimizing your paperboard recycling efforts:

» Remove liners.
Many of your food packages will have a plastic bag separating the food from the paperboard. This helps keep the paperboard clean, but the plastic bag should be removed prior to recycling.

» Prevent oil/water stains.
If paperboard is stained with any sort of cooking oil, it becomes unrecyclable. If it gets drenched with water, the fibers shrink, making it less valuable. Keep food away from your paperboard recycling bin, and don't put your paperboard recycling out in the rain.

» Separate when needed.
If you're recycling different types of paper at once, make sure all types are accepted in your curbside program or at your drop off center. Adding paper that isn't accepted could mean that the whole batch will not be recycled.