Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cartonboard industry?
The cartonboard industry is part of the paper industry, which produces mainly millboard (but no corrugated board) from a grammage starting from 180 gsm for packaging.
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Is there any difference between paper and cartonboard?
In terms of structure, paper has one layer, whereas cartonboard has several. Furthermore, paper and cartonboard are divided into different categories on the basis of their grammage range and structure. Material with a weight of 180 gsm and above is classified as cartonboard.
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How much cartonboard is produced worldwide?
Around 35 million tons of cartonboard are produced world-wide (excluding liquid packaging board).
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How much cartonboard is annually produced in Europe?
In Europe some 2.6 million tons of cartonboard are produced from primary fibre and around 3.6 million tons are produced from secondary fibre per year.
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How much cartonboard is used within Europe?
In 1999 about 4.6 million tons of cartonboard were used in Western Europe (excluding liquid packaging board).
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What is recycling?
Recycling is the recovery of a product which, having been through its original life cycle, is then re-processed and transformed into another product.
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When is cartonboard called "recycled cartonboard"?
Recycled cartonboard is cartonboard containing recycled fibre. There is no standard figure for the percentage of recycled fibre which has to be used in the production of recycled cartonboard.
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Is the recycling process of cartonboard unlimited?
"No". Cellulose fibres can be recycled 7 to 8 times, until the fibre length shortens to a point where their characteristics no longer fulfil their technical function. For that reason primary fibres have to be added for the production of cartonboard.
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What are secondary or recycled fibres?
Secondary or recycled fibres are cellulose fibres that come from waste paper which is collected for recycling from the paper industry, retail outlets and the domestic waste chain. Recycled fibres are divided into "pre-consumer waste" and "post-consumer waste", depending on whether the collection took place before or after use by the consumer.
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Is it possible to produce cartonboard just from secondary fibres?
"Yes" - but the characteristics of such a cartonboard will depend on the kind of the recycled fibre used.
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What are the advantages of cartonboard produced from secondary fibres?
In the manufacture of cartonboard made from secondary fibre, high-quality waste paper and waste cartonboard are used. This is a substantial contribution to improved waste paper disposal. Cartonboard made from secondary fibre can also be a cost-effective alternative to fresh fibre grades. Thanks to improved methods in fibre selection and cleaning, cartonboard made from recycled fibre meets the packaging requirements in nearly all areas of the food industry. Considerable progress has been made in the packaging capacity of the boxing machines and the printability and surface quality of recycled cartonboard in the last few years. Thus recycled cartonboard meets the highest market requirements already today.
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Where do the secondary fibres come from?
Secondary or recycled fibres are obtained from all types of re-usable waste paper and cartonboard material which come from printing and converting production, retail outlets, offices, etc.
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What kinds of consumer waste are there?
When a folding carton has been through its life cycle and then disposed of by the consumer, it is referred to as "PCW" (Post Consumer Waste), whereas waste generated during the production of cartonboard is called "PIW" (Post Industrial Waste).
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What are the criteria for the selection of paper and board for cartonboard production?
Waste paper used for cartonboard production is selected on the basis of the quality of the fibre used. The quality of the waste paper is determined by the following criteria: method of the original fibre preparation, subsequent method of printing, lamination and gluing, as well as final application of the paper or carton board.
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How many types of waste paper are there?
The paper and cartonboard industry has identified over 50 different qualities of waste paper until now.
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What are the "lower qualities" of recovered paper?
Supermarket waste, unsorted mixed waste papers as well as newspapers and magazines.
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What are the "medium qualities" of recovered paper?
Over-issue newspapers, white lined board cuttings, once-read news, coloured letters.
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What are the "higher qualities" of recovered paper?
White woodfree letters and shavings, imitation chromo board, white newsprint.
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What are the "kraft qualities" of recovered paper?
Original corrugated board, used corrugated board and used kraft paper.
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Where are these types of waste paper qualities sorted?
Waste paper is sorted into the various quality grades either at the waste paper collection site or at a later time.
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What sources of power are used in the paper and board industry?
As well as natural gas, heating oil and, in a few isolated cases, coal, effluent residues, waste alkaline solution and bark are also used to provide energy.
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