Recycling

Corrugated products are 100% curbside recyclable* and therefore can be easily fed back into the recycling stream. The corrugated industry as a whole recovers scrap from its production processes and reuses it in the production stream. PCA is a significant contributor to the industry’s outstanding recycling story. Our box plant in Marshfield, Wisconsin, alone recovers approximately 7,000 tons of corrugated each year! Overall, PCA packaging plants recover the vast majority of their corrugated scrap and return it to our mills as pre-consumer recycled material. By sending material back into production, PCA maintains a truly sustainable fiber supply.

On the post-consumer side, the excellent story continues. Corrugated boxes have the highest recovery rate across all packaging materials at 96%. The next closest packaging material is glass, where only 33% is recovered. Recycling boxes is fairly straightforward. The staples and glue that hold boxes together are easily sorted during the recycling process.* There is no reason to worry about getting rid of those materials.

Consumers are already well aware that boxes can and should be recycled, but with ever-changing local laws, they’re confused as to where to go for proper recycling guidelines. Local businesses can support the effort by encouraging employees to recycle and helping educate end consumers on local best practices to ensure that everybody is having an impact. We recommend starting with a visit to your municipality’s website to learn more about local recycling rules and options.

If you’re interested in learning more about the corrugated recycling process and how to properly recycle in your area, please complete the form below. Once we know your location, we’ll send you specialized recycling details.

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