Folding boxes 
Shipping boxes 
Stand-up pouch 
Flexible packaging 
Labels 
Paper cans 
Sample boxes Folding boxes made of cardboard may be suitable for recycling via the waste paper stream, depending on the complete board structure, finishes, adhesives, coatings and the available recycling infrastructure. Recovered paper fibres can be reused as secondary raw materials for applications such as recycled paper and recycled board. Depending on the board grade used, folding boxboard may consist predominantly of primary fibres, secondary fibres or a combination of both.
Paper recycling in Germany is divided into the following individual processes:
- Collection: Waste paper is collected and made available for further processing.
- Sorting & screening: Dark paper such as kraft paper or cardboard is separated from white paper. Non-paper components made of metal or plastic are removed using a screening process.
- Shredding and pressing: The collected paper is shredded and pressed into bales.
- Removal of foreign substances/deinking: The waste paper is soaked in water, causing it to dissolve into fibres. Printing inks are removed by adding surfactants and caustic soda.
- Bleaching: The cleaned paper pulp is bleached with hydrogen peroxide or oxygen.
- Drying and flattening: The paper pulp is spread out on sheets, flattened and dried so that it can be processed into paper again.
Folding carton recycling despite printing ink, adhesive and film finishing
Printing, hot foil finishing and single-sided film laminations can affect the recyclability of folding cartons, and their compatibility with the paper recycling process depends on the specific finish, its proportion and its removability. In the FFI/PTS study, the fibre component of the tested folding-carton samples could be recovered for material recycling, while the proportion of non-paper components affected the overall pulp yield.
The FFI/PTS study found that the tested folding-carton material combinations were suitable for recycling via the household paper and board collection stream. The fibre component of the analysed samples could be recovered for recycling, while the overall pulp yield depended on the proportion of non-paper components.
Different defibration times had no effect on the fibre yield. The fibre component obtained could be recovered for recycling.
Individual samples showed visually noticeable inhomogeneities or increased stickiness associated with printing inks and adhesives. In the study, these effects were either separable during the recycling process or assessed as non-critical.
In the FFI/PTS study, the tested plastic components from coatings and laminations showed different fragmentation and separation behaviour during the recycling process. The recyclability of a coated or laminated folding carton must therefore be assessed on the basis of the specific material combination and finish used.
In the FFI/PTS study, metallised material combinations showed poorer separability and caused visually noticeable contamination. The tested material combinations were nevertheless assessed within the household paper and board recycling stream; this result should not be transferred to other metallised folding-carton structures without a corresponding assessment.
Source: Trade Association for the Folding Carton Industry E. V.
