| It is all too easy to assume that food packaging | | | | Products - |
| suppliers create a ton of the waste that goes into | | | | After being recycled, where does most of that |
| Australian landfills each year. However, the | | | | material go? It is important to note that |
| industry relies heavily on paper and cardboard, | | | | approximately 83% of all recycled paper and |
| which are both recycled at very appreciable | | | | cardboard materials are used to created |
| degrees. | | | | packaging supplies of various sorts. This fact |
| Paper And Cardboard Use In Australia - | | | | closes the loop and clearly outlines the interesting |
| Each Australian should understand the impact that | | | | way that the packaging industry does its own |
| packaging materials make in our daily lives. As a | | | | part to help save the planet. Instead of relying on |
| data point, between the years 2002 and 2003 | | | | our natural resources, the packaging industry |
| Australians used approximately 4 million tonnes of | | | | makes a conscious effort to predominately rely |
| the materials. Incredibly, that number is a 10.2% | | | | on recycled materials. |
| increase over the previous year which reflects | | | | How Much Does That Recycling Help? |
| the steady rise in popularity of these materials. | | | | When looking at all of these numbers, it can be |
| How Much Of Those Materials Is Recycled? | | | | difficult to put the benefits for the planet into |
| When presented with the huge numbers outlined | | | | perspective. For every one tonne of recycled |
| above, many people are quick to assume that | | | | cardboard or paper: |
| most of it ends up as waste. The truth is, though, | | | | => 31,780 litres of water are saved |
| that about 1.9 million tonnes of that cardboard and | | | | => 4100 KwH of electricity is saved |
| paper waste is collected for recycling. That is a | | | | => 13 trees are left standing |
| very significant percentage and demonstrates | | | | => 4 cubic metres of landfill aren't built |
| how useful those materials are in terms of being | | | | => 2.5 barrels of oil aren't used |
| reused. Furthermore, the vast majority of that | | | | As you can see, the packaging industry does a |
| recycled material was made up of packaging | | | | whole lot when it comes to recycling and reusing |
| materials. It is clear that the industry does a lot to | | | | paper and cardboard materials. In this way, it has |
| reduce, reuse and recycle. | | | | a direct - and positive - impact on the health of |
| Creating New Packaging Materials From Old | | | | Australia and the world. |