Are SOLUT!’s food packaging products sustainable?
All of SOLUT! food packaging trays are sustainable and are manufactured using renewable, recyclable corrugated or solid paperboard materials. Let’s take a look at these factors in detail to see how they contribute to the sustainability of SOLUT! packaging.
Renewable Resources are the Basis for All SOLUT Food Packaging Products
Corrugated and solid paperboard products are made of 100% truly renewable resources – paper. By comparison, over 85% of the raw materials for PET plastic are made from oil and natural gas, which are both non-renewable resources.
- 49% more trees are grown than harvested every year in the United States (USDA Forest Service)
- The North America forest products industry plants 1.7 million new trees every day (SFI, Sustainable Forestry Initiative)
- 93% of all corrugated paperboard in the United States is supplied by SFI participants (Fiber Box
Association)
Recycled Content Used to Manufacture SOLUT! Sustainable Food Packaging
Nearly all paper products contain some amount of recycled fiber content. However, SOLUT! does not specify the exact percent of recycled content because we use a variety of paper mill suppliers to maintain cost competitiveness and ensure ample supply. For high volume applications, SOLUT! can specify 100% recycled fiber material to ensure sustainable food packaging.
Recyclable Food Packaging from SOLUT!
All SOLUT! food packaging is considered repulpable and recyclable in commercial recycling facilities and SOLUT! recycles 100% of all material waste generated in our manufacturing process.
- In 2005, 76.6% percent of all corrugated containers produced in the U.S. were recovered for recycling. (Fiber Box Association)
- In 2006, only 23.4% of PET (#1) plastic bottles were recycled
Biodegradable & Compostable – How SOLUT! Food Packaging Measures Up
- SOLUT! Kraft Natural packaging products are made with 100% corrugated paper, utilizing an aqueous (water-based) biodegradable grease barrier coating. Kraft Natural products are backyard compostable.
- SOLUT! Elegance products are made with over 98% corrugated paper and less than 2% PET plastic coating.
- SOLUT! products have not yet been tested and certified as compostable under ASTM standards.
Less Green House Gas Emissions (CO2 carbon dioxide) Make SOLUT! Food Packaging a More Sustainable & Greener Choice
Corrugated paperboard produces 85% LESS carbon dioxide greenhouse gas causing emissions than PET plastic in kilograms per kilogram of material produced. (American Chemistry Council).
Trees (used to make 100% of corrugated paper and planted at a rate of 1.7 million per day in the United States), absorb carbon dioxide, thus further reducing the effects of greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainability is the basis from which all of SOLUT’s food packaging is manufactured – a conscientious standard that we hold ourselves accountable. We continue to provide quality disposable bakeware and catering trays that are very durable and meet environmentally sensitive expectations of sustainable food packaging. Give us at call at (877)609-9450 to discuss an affordable solution for your standard or custom paper packaging.
