HARTSVILLE, S.C. (News release) -- Sonoco announced it is expanding post-consumer recovery and recycling opportunities for paper cups in bales of mixed paper to be used as raw material at its Hartsville, S.C., paperboard mill to produce new paperboard.
All of Sonoco's United States paper mills have previously validated that they can accept rigid paper cans in bales of mixed paper coming from residential Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs). This new announcement extends acceptance to paper cups at the Hartsville mill. Additional testing is underway with the aim of expanding cup recycling to all Sonoco mills that utilize residential mixed paper.
"Sonoco is uniquely positioned as a leading recycler, paper mill operator and paper packaging converter to help push the industry to look towards future innovations and grow end of life solutions across the entire paper value chain," said Elizabeth Rhue, Vice President of Global Environmental, Sustainability, and Centralized Technology. "After validating that our mills could recycle EnviroCan paper containers in residential mixed paper, we decided to further demonstrate the ability to recycle other similar polycoated fiber-based containers through the post-consumer mixed paper stream."
This collaboration across Sonoco's U.S. vertically integrated manufacturing network further demonstrates the flexibility the Company possesses to recycle and process fiber-based packaging through conventional paper mill pulping systems.
"Paper cups are made with materials that are highly desirable to paper mills because of its ability to improve new products with recycled fiber," said Natha Dempsey, President of the Foodservice Packaging Institute. "Those paper mills, including Sonoco, who are a part of the Paper Cup Alliance have committed to supporting the industry in building the infrastructure and developing the practices that make paper the best choice for anyone who cares about the future of our planet."
"This is one of many steps Sonoco is taking to further our commitment to responsible material sourcing at our manufacturing operations, while building material circularity into the broader industry," Rhue said. "If a consumer recycles a paper cup or an EnviroCan paper container, and it is sorted into the mixed paper stream, the products can now be sent to our Hartsville mill to be turned into a number of new fiber products, including new EnviroCan containers."
To learn more about Sonoco's sustainability and recycling efforts, visit www.sonoco.com.
About Sonoco
Founded in 1899, Sonoco (NYSE: SON) is a global provider of consumer, industrial, healthcare and protective packaging. With net sales of projected to be $7.25 billion to $7.5 billion in 2022, the Company has approximately 22,000 employees working in more than 300 operations in 32 countries, serving some of the world's best-known brands in some 85 nations. Sonoco is committed to creating sustainable products, services and programs for its customers, employees and communities that support our corporate purpose of Better Packaging. Better Life. The Company ranked first in the Packaging sector on Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 2022 as well as being included in Barron's 100 Most Sustainable Companies for the third consecutive year. For more information, visit www.sonoco.com.
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