Reducing has been the hallmark of Sealed Air since day one – reducing damage, reducing waste, and reducing energy, among other things. A reduction in packaging materials leads to smaller parcels, which reduce warehouse storage space and reduce the number of truckloads required to ship products.
Some of our packaging solutions also help to reduce environmental impacts. One of those solutions is paper, which comes from renewable materials and is easy for consumers to recycle.
Sealed Air’s paper packaging offerings are made of 100% recycled materials sourced from pre- and post-consumer recycled paper and manufactured in paper mills that are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.
We operate two state-of-the-art paper facilities in Pennsylvania. Both plants are rich in paper-making history and tradition yet outfitted with the latest technological advancements. These plants produce less than 1% waste material, and one of the facilities operates one of the few completely closed water systems in the country, which means all the water used to manufacture the paper is re-circulated through the mill and not discharged to a municipal wastewater treatment center.
Paper with a Purpose
Paper is a sturdy, ecological packaging material. When used as void fill, paper is a recyclable replacement for foam packing peanuts. When used as a cushioning agent, paper can provide blocking and bracing protection as well as expanded polystyrene foam, which is not recyclable.Paper is stronger than you might think. Employing the engineering of Sealed Air’s systems, which crimp and create multi-ply solutions, paper has the power to protect heavy-duty products such as mechanical parts during transit. These systems provide paper packaging materials on demand, which minimizes the physical footprint needed to store materials, allowing for the operational expansion and increased revenue of a business.
Paper is also proving to be a good fit for e-commerce meal deliveries. Sealed Air offers curbside recyclable paper liners that provide more than 48 hours of insulation, making it an ideal solution for the fresh ingredients placed inside meal preparation boxes. These pad liners also absorb moisture minimizing internal condensation helping to keep individual products dry.
Our research shows 27 percent of Americans say one of their pet peeves about packaging is that it’s difficult to recycle or unrecyclable (e.g., not curbside recyclable or unclear if it is recyclable). Paper has many valuable properties with recyclability topping the list. But paper isn’t Sealed Air’s only recyclable solution. Bubble Wrap®, Korrvu®, and the air pillows found in many e-commerce shipments are also recyclable.