Cardboard myths, unpacked
Where does cardboard come from? Can pizza boxes be recycled? Are our forests sustainable? There are so many common cardboard-related questions asked.
Here, our aim is to provide more clarity into the top myths surrounding cardboard.
MYTHS
Click the common myth below to revel the truth.
Beyond the Box says:
Europe’s forests are actually increasing in size – by an area equivalent to 1.5 million football pitches every year
Cardboard is made from paper. This means cardboard packaging production depends on healthy trees and thriving forests. Typically, for every tree harvested to make paper-based materials like cardboard, three more are planted, and it’s thanks to this rigorous tree re-planting that European forests have been steadily growing in size.
This means you can rest assured that your cardboard packaging started life in forests which are managed responsibly and sustainably.
Beyond the Box says:
The paper used to create cardboard in the UK is never sourced from tropical rainforests
Beyond the Box says:
Packaging is an essential part of our daily lives. It protects goods while they’re on the move, when they’re being stored and when they’re on the shop shelves
Take the food we eat as an example. Packaging protects our food as it’s moved around the country and delivered to our local supermarkets. This protection continues when we take food home and store it in our cupboards. Packaging reduces the speed at which our food will spoil – in fact, it often extends its shelf life – and reduces the chances that it will get contaminated by something we wouldn’t want to eat.
Where possible, choose a sustainable packaging material like cardboard and get inspired with our tips and tricks for making the most of cardboard packaging.
Beyond the Box says:
We believe cardboard is the UK’s sustainable packaging material
Cardboard is an eco-friendly packaging material because it’s recyclable, renewable, reusable and biodegradable.
Beyond the Box says:
It’s necessary to use some new paper fibres in cardboard packaging. Recycle yours to ensure paper fibres can be reused again and again
The paper fibres used to make cardboard can be recycled time and time again, however eventually these paper fibres degrade and lose their paper and cardboard-making qualities. When this happens, degraded fibres must be replaced by new paper fibres.
Be sure to recycle all cardboard packaging to make the most out of every paper fibre.
Beyond the Box says:
Yes, they can!
Pizza boxes are made from cardboard which is a recyclable packaging material. Just toss any pizza crusts or other loose food items into your food waste bin, then flatten before recycling.