Innofibre confirms the use of recycled cartons for packaging

Research conducted by Quebec’s Innofibre demonstrates the potential of using recycled food and beverage cartons for moulded pulp packaging. These cartons, primarily composed of paperboard with thin polyethylene coating and in some cases, aluminum layers, are used for products like juice, milk, soups, water and wine.

Innofibre, a research centre specializing in the development of plant fibre-based products, produced pulp from post-consumer cartons obtained from a Quebec material recovery facility. The pulp was then used to manufacture moulded products using transfer moulding and thermoforming techniques.

Principal researcher, Eric Desnoes, said, “Tests confirmed that recycled carton fibre pulp has similar mechanical and physical properties to virgin kraft pulp (making it suitable for) manufacturing high-quality moulded products.”

The Carton Council of Canada, which aims to increase carton collection and recycling in Canada, commissioned the research. Data compiled by the council shows around 58,000 tonnes of post-consumer cartons per year are collected through the blue box and deposit-return programs in Canada.

Looking ahead, the council plans to collaborate with local recyclers and packaging manufacturers to explore further applications of recycled carton pulp. It anticipates a rise in carton recycling rates, positioning cartons as a valuable alternative raw material for packaging manufacturers invested in the circular economy.