Facts About Paperboard

Paperboard, what some may mistakenly refer to as “cardboard,” is a thicker form of paper used in consumer packaging. Here are some need-to-know facts about paperboard:

• While cardboard is a type of paperboard, other examples include drink boxes, cereal containers, detergent packaging, shoe boxes and tissue containers.
• More than 85 percent of the U.S. population has access to paperboard recycling.
• The EPA estimates that 60 percent of paperboard was recycled in 2009.
• Recycled paperboard represents the largest market for recycled paper in the U.S.
• Paperboard can be produced from 100 percent recycled paper or entirely from virgin wood sources, depending on the product for which it is used.
• Paperboard is often coated with kaolin clay to improve its printing surface, which does not hinder its recyclability.
• Paperboard is recycled using a single-grade process, meaning no other type of paper is mixed in during manufacturing.
• There are more than 80 recycled paperboard mills in North America.
• One hundred percent recycled paperboard has been used for more than 125 years.