Carton Council of Canada working towards a comprehensive strategy to increase recycling
CCC's Isabelle Faucher presents the facts at Canadian Waste Resource Symposium and points to growth to come for the sector
Isabelle Faucher, Managing Director of the Carton Council of Canada (CCC) has told delegates at the Canadian Waste Resource Symposium meeting, taking place in Quebec City, March 13 through 15th, that the CCC is investing in a comprehensive strategy to increase carton recycling across Canada. The primary lever of the strategy is driving information and knowledge resources to the participants in the carton value chain, from consumers to the manufacturers who use cartons as the feedstock for their products.
According to the Carton Council of Canada, "The humble carton is a growing part of Canada's packaging solutions, offering safety and convenience for a wide range of fresh and shelf-stable consumer food products and a high-value resource—virgin paper fiber—to the mix of materials collected in recycling programs."
Following are key points from Ms. Faucher's presentation at the Canadian Waste Resource Symposium, where she told delegates:
· Our goal is about building and growing carton recycling. And we are proud that our efforts and those of our partners and stakeholders in the value chain are having an effect. As of February 2018, the national carton recycling rate was 59%, up from 26% in 2008, a year before the CCC was established.
· Included in that is our interest in improving performance at material recycling facilities (MRF) which is a key part of improving carton recycling," she said, pointing to the CCC's work in sharing best practices and recent work with individual MRFs to determine the best solution for positive sorting - separating cartons from other materials to achieve their maximum value.
· In 2011, food and beverage cartons received their own Paper Stock Industries (PSI) grade, #52, which means they get the most value when sorted and separated alone. That's why the Carton Council has always recommended sorting cartons instead of adding them to mixed paper. This practice is becoming more important as markets such as China introduce regulations that effect the marketability of materials such as mixed paper.
· Increasing consumer participation is also an important part of our comprehensive strategy. The CCC wants to make sure consumers know cartons are recyclable and are empowered to recycle them. So, we engage with municipalities and other organizations focused on the benefits of recycling to promote this objective.
· The CCC also works with recyclers who use cartons as their feedstock to help build markets. For example, Iowa-based ReWall uses whole cartons to produce building and construction materials. The company uses an environmentally friendly process, without water or chemicals to create products that benefit from the strength, durability and resistance to mold and moisture of cartons. The company recently expanded their facility, more than doubling their capacity and increasing their demand for cartons.
