Transport Packaging: shifting from trash to valuable material

petro-wax cardboard box
destined for the landfill

As businesses move down the zero waste path, audits of remaining "trash" often reveal packaging is the main component of items destined for the landfill. For the food industry, petrowax-coated cardboard boxes for produce (fruits and vegetables) and protein (meats, seafood & poultry) are a significant contributor to a foodservice operator | grocery store's waste hauling charges.  

During recycling, OCC (old corrugated cardboard) is shredded, mixed in a water slurry, and processed into new paper through the recovery of recycled fibers. In the water-fiber mixture the petrowax agglomerates, clogging screens and other processing equipment; the result is decreased fiber recovery. Petrowax-coated boxes are a contaminant in OCC recycling.

With a strong commodity market, operators who bale OCC on-site often create a recycling profit center with OCC revenue more than offsetting the additional labor. On the other hand, petrowax-coated cardboard goes in the trash dumpster costing the operator waste hauling charges.

petrowaxed asparagus boxes
@ Piazza Produce

Global Green’s Coalition for Resource Recovery (CoRR) is currently surveying the corrugated cardboard industry to update the cost-savings and benefits related to the use of wax alternatives. Early survey calculations demonstrate over 1 million tons of petrowax-coated cardboard are currently going to U.S. landfills, costing about $50 million annually in hauling and landfill tipping fees. The equivalent recycling value is around $135 million for a net industry benefit of an estimated $185 million annually.

The CoRR Wholesale Packaging page details CoRR's impressive petrowax-free box research and successful pilots.

Ei Industry Expert ChemolCompany developed coating alternatives derived from natural, sustainable raw materials (vegetable oils and animal fats.) The alternative coating provides similar water resistance and wet strength characteristics to petrowax coatings.

Petrowax alternative coatings are cost-neutral to box manufacturers. The same equipment with little or no modification is used for the coating process. 

OCC recyclability is certified by the Fibre Box Association (FBA) who requires each box manufacturer pass a rigorous fiber recovery protocol. Boxes with Chemol’s petrowax-free alternative coating pass the FBA OCC recyclability certification.

CoRR's Lily Kelly @ podium

In 2012 Ei began work on petrowax-free boxes. The May 2012 Zero Waste in ACTION article, Waxed Cardboard = Landfill Destiny = $$ Lost, is the second most popular blog article with nearly 5,000 views. The article features the National Restaurant Association Show education session Challenging the Value-Chain to Transform Transport Packaging: Eco-Friendly, Wallet-Friendly Solutions orchestrated by Ei Chair Scott Seydel.

As a first step to understanding on-farm packaging practices, the Ei Team visited two South Georgia farms with on-site slaughter houses and packing operations. ZWA Blog post, Consumer Demand: A Powerful Voice to Affect Change, gives an overview of the farm tours and Ei's foray into Product Stewardship. As the title indicates, Ei intends to work with Industry Pioneers to invoke the powerful consumer demand to affect shifts in box coating practices.

In August 2013 a portion of the Indy Zero Waste Tours was dedicated to petrowax-free box education. Industry Pioneer Ted’s Montana Grill (TMG) joined the tour of Piazza Produce followed by the education session. The Ei FB album, 08-13 Indy Zero Waste Tours, gives a pictorial recap of the Indy tours.

Paula Owens w/ TMG during
Piazza Produce tour

The Ei PetroWax-Free Box Initiative was announced at the 2015 Annual Partner Meeting. The IMPACT Blog article, Ei 2015: Year of ACTION, recaps the meeting; PPT presentations are available on the Annual Ei Partner Meetings page. Chemol President Fred Wellons will take the initiative leadership role.

First action steps are forming the Industry Pioneer Team, including foodservice operators, grocery stores, and produce | protein distributors. Next Ei will recruit box manufacturers to serve as the initiative Industry Experts.

Industry Pioneers hold the key for transport packaging evolution. By using their power of consumer demand and working on common goals with their supply chain, Industry Pioneers will craft scenarios where businesses and the environment benefit. Petrowax-free boxes are an easy win for shifting transport packaging from trash to valuable material. 

Waxed Cardboard Boxes = Landfill Destiny = $$ Lost

landfill destined waxed cardboard box

As businesses move down the zero waste path, audits of remaining "trash" reveal packaging is one of the main components of items destined for the landfill.  For foodservice operators, waxed cardboard boxes for produce (fruits and vegetables) and protein (meats, seafood & poultry) are a significant contributor to a company's waste hauling charges.  

With a strong commodity market, operators who bale cardboard on-site often create a recycling profit center with revenue from the bales more than offsetting the additional labor.  On the other hand, waxed cardboard goes in the trash dumpster where the operator pays waste hauling charges.

Lily @ the podium

According to Lily Kelly, Global Green's Coalition for Resource Recovery program director, "Approximately 1.45 million tons are covered in paraffin wax, so they can't be recycled.The cost is about $200 million in foregone revenues and hauling fees" Recyclable | compostable coatings are available for cardboard boxes to replace the paraffin wax.

At the 2012 National Restaurant Association Show Elemental Impact Chair Scott Seydel orchestrated and Lily moderated an excellent educational session on transport packaging, with a focus on waxed cardboard boxes.  The formal session name was Challenging the Value-Chain to Transform Transport Packaging:  Eco-Friendly , Wallet-Friendly Solutions.

NRA Show session panel

Part of the session included the successful collaborative efforts by Mountainaire Farms and Interstate Container on developing a recyclable|compostable corrugated box for chicken transport. Pratt Recycling presented on how they harvest the urban forest to make cardboard boxes from 100% recycled material. HMSHost gave the foodservice operator's perspective on the end user of transport packaging along with an overview of their sustainability programs.

Elissa Elan, NRA senior editor, sustainability, gives a thorough session synopsis in the NRA News Hub article, Eco-friendly packaging, sustainability practices explored. ]The Ei FB album, 05-08-12 Transport Pkging Session @ the NRA Show, gives a pictorial session recap.

White Oak Pastures bull 

While CoRR addresses produce waxed cardboard use (the vast majority), Ei is exploring the packaging used in protein transport as the first steps in the Product Stewardship Focus.  To understand the current scenario, Ei Partners and friends visited two sustainable farms, each meeting the  Whole Foods 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating Standards with a 5+ designation. The ZWA Blog post, Consumer Demand: A Powerful Voice to Affect Change, gives an overview of the farm tours and Ei's foray into Product Stewardship.

In true partner spirit, Ei was active at the 2012 NRA Show via the transport packaging session and a strong presence on the show floor.  See the IMPACT Blog post, 2012 NRA Show - Powerful, for a recap of Ei Partner show participation. The Ei FB album, 2012 NRA Show in Chicago, gives the pictorial recount.

At the NRA educational session and on the farm tours, it was thrilling to witness the passion in action to create transport material destined for recycling rather than the landfill.  With collaborative effort, solutions will come forth that make solid business sense for the entire value-chain.  ... and the best part is the environmental benefit!