Environment

Continuous Recycling

The corrugated industry has a very good recycling record. More than 78 percent of all corrugated products are recovered and directed into the recycling stream. On average, newly manufactured products industry-wide contain about 43 percent recycled fiber, which includes both post-consumer fiber and material recovered and recycled within the manufacturing process. But recycled fiber is only part of the “big picture.” More important is the fact that a steady infusion of new fiber into the production cycle is essential for sustainability.

 

Recycled fiber can never realistically be the only fiber source for quality corrugated, because wood fibers break down and lose their desirable attributes after multiple reuses. If new fiber is not constantly added into the manufacturing cycle, eventually corrugated products won't perform properly. The needs of our customers will not be met and our industry will run out of viable raw material for production.

 

At PCA, our SFI-certified mills constantly introduce the new, harvested fiber necessary to maintain a truly sustainable fiber supply and ensure the strength and performance of PCA products.