Business
The Importance of New and Recycled Fiber To Maximize the Sustainability of Fiber Packaging
Originally published in International Paper's *Thinking Inside the Box* white paper NORTHAMP...
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[{"type":"text","content":"The Importance of New and Recycled Fiber To Maximize the Sustainability of Fiber PackagingOriginally published in International Paper's *Thinking Inside the Box* white paperNORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / December 10, 2024 / Effective leadership in the circular economy requires companies to think carefully about the entire life cycle of their products. With much of modern commerce occurring online, this has led to the development of a complex global supply chain that is often erratic, wasteful and energy intensive. Businesses throughout the value chain, as well as individual consumers, are becoming more aware of how their habits contribute waste to the landfill after use. The packaging industry and packaging users must continue to prioritize renewable solutions that can be easily reused or recovered as a sustainable alternative to products made from nonrenewable resources.While the circularity story of a corrugated box starts in the forest, it ends with high collection and recovery of this valued natural resource. The fiber-based packaging cycle naturally aligns with the circular economic model. Still, there is always room for improvement in residual loss, resource efficiency, and striving for a closed-loop resource cycle to reduce GHG emissions and prevent pollution.A point of contention within the fiber-based packaging industry is whether virgin fiber or 100% recycled fiber is more sustainable. At first glance, it might seem that using only recycled fiber would be more sustainable, but recycled fiber is only one part of a sustainable fiber system. The other part is virgin or ‘new' fiber, which, when sourced from forests whose ecosystems are sustainably managed, plays a critical role in mitigating climate change and promoting biodiversity. While the use of recycled fiber avoids some GHG emissions from landfills, new fiber from sustainably managed forests can support the removal of carbon emissions from the atmosphere.16 Underscoring the need for new fiber inputs is that trees are a renewable natural resource and provide considerable benefits to humans and biodiversity while they are growing in the form of carbon sequestration. Using new fiber maintains the demand for sustainably managed forests.On average, containerboard producers use 56% recycled fiber in their production process.17 International Paper believes that, in ...