Recycling & Composting

Home » Sustainability » Recycling & Composting
 
Our facilities strive for environmental excellence through REDUCE/RECYCLE/REUSE/RENEW.

The facilities segregate and recycle: 
        Kraft paper waste
        Poly coated paper waste
        Paper dust waste 
        Paper cores 
        Paper core plugs 
        Pallets


Carton Recycling

Our paperboard (gable top) cartons are recyclable. The technology to recycle paperboard cartons has been in commercial use for over 30 years. The process is called “hydropulping”. Hydropulping is the process that paper mills use to reclaim fiber from scrap or recovered paper products. The recovered cartons come into the paper mill in a baled or compacted form that is gradually fed into the pulper. The pulper is similar to a large household blender. The recovered cartons are mixed with water and vigorously stirred and blended using centrifugal force until the carton is completely destroyed, creating a paper pulp and pieces of the plastic coating. Chains dragging through the paper pulp remove the plastic coating. The fibers in the paper pulp are reclaimed and used to make other paper products such as paper towels, napkins and tissues. Not all paper mills can use recovered or recycled paper products, and those paper mills that can recycle paperboard cartons may not be close to you. Therefore, you should check with your municipality or your waste hauler to determine if paperboard cartons can be recycled. Click here to download case studies compiled from successful recycling programs across the country. 


To find out if paperboard carton recycling is available in your area, visit the Carton Council website at www.recyclecartons.com.



Composting

School food composting programs have been growing throughout the U.S. for a number of years. Municipalities have realized that there are both economic and environmental benefits when diverting organic waste from landfills.  The use of compost benefits soil by replacing vital nutrients, amending soil texture and retaining moisture. The use of compost also makes the application of fertilizers unnecessary, another environmental and cost diverting benefit. Healthy, nutrient-rich soil produces more fruits and vegetables.

Learn how to create and maintain a composting program in your area.  Click here to download case studies compiled from successful composting programs across the country.