Fresh fibre paperboards in packaging

The environmental impact of packaging material is created throughout the product life cycle: raw material sourcing, production, transport and the disposal of the product after use. Renewable and lightweight paperboards, that are produced resource-efficiently based mainly on fossil free energy, have smaller carbon footprint and meet the needs of the circular economy.

Paperboard provides an alternative to fossil-based packaging materials

Global megatrends, such as population growth, urbanisation and climate change are supporting the demand for fibre-based, recyclable and lightweight packaging materials and solutions. Threats of oceans being filled with plastics and growing awareness of resource scarcity highlight the importance of environmental issues. Paperboards can reduce or replace the use of plastics in many packaging end uses. Packaging design can reduce environmental impact, e.g. optimising the use of the material, ensuring that the packaging is fit for purpose, and designing the packaging for recycling after use.

Paperboards have a high recycling rate

Paperboard is made from renewable wood fibre and is widely recycled. For example, in Europe and in the US more than 80% of paper and paperboard packaging are collected for recycling (Sources: Eurostat and the EPA). To keep the fibre loop alive, a constant inflow of fresh fibres is needed: wood fibre cannot be recycled an unlimited number of times because the fibres become shorter and weaker with each cycle. Metsä Board is active as part of the 4evergreen and European Paper Packaging Alliance communities, which promote the recyclability of fibre-based packaging and food and food service packaging.

Fresh fibre paperboards are clean and safe

Fresh fibre paperboards provide good properties for packaging in which high quality printing and special effects are required. Because fresh fibres contain no unknown chemical substances, they are the safest fibre choice for food packaging. They do not alter the taste, smell, colour or composition of the food that is packaged or served in them. Recycled fibres are best suited to end uses in which premium quality, product safety or high hygiene is not the key criteria.

Metsä Board produces only fresh fibre paperboards

Metsä Board focuses on sustainable and premium fresh fibre paperboards. Company's product portfolio consists of folding boxboards and white kraftliners. Metsä Board's folding boxboard is mainly used for consumer packaging, such as food and food service, cosmetics, pharma and electronics packaging. White kraftliners are used to for various retail purposes, such as retail-ready solutions and point-of-sale-displays. All Metsä Board paperboards are recyclable and/or compostable, depending on the local recycling infrastructure.