Creating sustainable packaging

The sustainability of a package is the sum of many things, such as its raw materials and their sourcing, the manufacturing process, and the safety, functionality and recyclability of the finished product.

Currently, a lot of emphasis is being placed on minimizing the carbon footprint of packaging across the entire product lifecycle. Two major factors affect the carbon footprint of paperboard packaging – weight and the energy used in production.

A lower carbon footprint is enabled by:

Light weight: Fresh fibre paperboards are stronger than boards made from recycled fibre, for example. When less fibres are needed to manufacture packaging of the same strength, this results in a lower weight and a lower carbon footprint.
Fossil free energy: Replacing fossil fuels with fossil free energy sources cuts fossil-based greenhouse gas emissions. At Metsä Board, 90% of our total energy consumption is fossil free, with an aim to reach 100% by the end of 2030. This means that the carbon footprint of our lightweight paperboards will become even smaller.

By protecting the product inside we help reduce wastage, which comes with a climate impact. Eventually, the most important function of packaging is to ensure the safety of a product for consumers. Packaging protects products during transport, prolongs product life and conveys important information about the composition and use of products.

We provide carbon footprint calculations to help compare the climate impact of different paperboard grades or other packaging materials. Read more about our Sustainability Service.

Sustainability in packaging is promoted by

1

Tracking the origin of raw materials

One of our biggest advantages is that the entire wood raw material value chain from forest to board mill via pulp mill is managed by Metsä Group’s various business units. All the wood fibre we use is traceable, and we will continue to improve the traceability of the chemicals and other raw materials we use as well as the materials used to package our end products.
2

Aiming for 100% fossil free materials

Paperboards can reduce or replace the use of plastics in many packaging end uses and the application areas will widen as the properties of paperboards are further developed. Our paperboards are produced primarily from renewable wood fibre, and we aim to use only fossil free raw materials and packaging materials by the end of 2030.
3

Focusing on lightweighting and fossil free, resource-efficient production

From the perspective of paperboard’s climate impact and carbon footprint, the energy mix used in its production and the lightness of the material are the most relevant factors. The carbon footprint of our products will become even smaller as we move towards 100% fossil free energy use in our production processes.
4

Choosing recyclable packaging materials

Our paperboard products are designed to be recycled. Ultimately, however, recyclability depends on the local collection and recycling infrastructure available. Metsä Board participates actively in the 4evergreen and European Paper Packaging Alliance communities, which promote the recyclability of fibre-based packaging and food and food service packaging.
5

Driving sustainability with packaging design

Well-designed packaging reduces environmental impact throughout the value chain. Well-designed packaging means packaging that: is fit for purpose; saves resources; streamlines transportation, storage and shelving; and is easy to recycle or reuse.