The ecological cycle of cardboard


From the raw material to processing and recycling, the manufacture of cardboard is an ecological cycle. In fact, commonly used cardboard in Italy consists of 80% of recycled fiber and only 20% of virgin fiber, coming mainly from conifer or broad-leaved forests, which are cultivated and managed by the paper industry.

It is, therefore, wrong to believe that paper production destroys the forests; in reality it is exactly to the contrary: paper production from virgin fiber, sustained by forest management, continues to determine an increase in the forest area, which contributes to reducing the greenhouse effect.

Not even the destruction of the tropical forest is attributed to the paper industry. In fact, it is known that the quality of fiber obtained from tropical trees is not particularly suitable for the production of paper and cardboard. To the contrary, the forests of the northern belt controlled by forest management, which can be assessed over an area of 100 billion cubic metres are expanding at a rate of 1.3 billion m3/year against a use of about 600 million m3, with a growth rate that exceeds 50% of the felling rate.
 

For a better environment

As can be seen, corrugated cardboard comes from recyclable resources. Its fibers are biodegradable and 100% recyclable. Recycling not only offers a tangible economic advantage, but reduces the quantity of packaging material disposed of, after use, to the bare minimum. Out of about 22 million tons of urban solid waste that accumulates each year in Italy, packaging materials represent about 50% of the whole mass, with 35% being paper and cardboard.

Out of the whole mass, only 30%, i.e. 2,300,000 tons, is recovered. This is still an insufficient figure, but it is on the constant increase. The introduction of new legislative regulations concerning the packaging sector show that corrugated cardboard is the preferred material. In fact, as opposed to other types of material, corrugated cardboard is 100% recyclable, it practically disintegrates on its own, it does not produce any noxious fumes if burned and can be continuously recycled.

Part of the technical information contained in this area comes from the monograph: "Corrugated cardboard: a company and environmental economy choice " by G.I.F.C.O. and Assocarta.