Sonoco expands residential recycling of iconic paper

HARTSVILLE, SC, Oct. 27, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Sonoco (NYSE: SON) announced today that it is expanding recovery and post-consumer recycling opportunities for its iconic EnviroCan ™ paper containers in the United States. United, which will be used as a raw material in 10 of its cardboard factories to produce new cardboard.

According to Elizabeth Rhue, vice president of sustainability staff, all of Sonoco’s paper mills in the United States have validated that they can accept rigid paper boxes in mixed paper bales from residential waste collection facilities. materials (MRF). These factories, located in Menasha, Wisconsin, Newport, Tennessee, City of Industry, California, Hartsville, SC, Holyoke, Massachusetts, Richmond, Virginia, Sumner, Wash., Hutchinson, Kan., DePere, Wisconsin. , and Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, will use the blended paper to produce 100% recycled cardboard, with up to 85% post-consumer fiber.

“Sonoco occupies a unique position as a premier recycler, stationery operator and converter of paper packaging to help develop end-of-life solutions not only on our consumer and industrial packaging platforms, but also in the whole paper industry, ”Rhue said. “After validating that our factories can recycle EnviroCan factory scrap, we are now taking the initiative to further demonstrate the ability to recycle our paper containers with metal ends not only through the flow of steel, like this is done largely today, but also by post – flow of mixed consumer paper.

According to Tim Davis, division vice president and general manager of paper operations at Sonoco in the United States and Canada, this collaboration within Sonoco’s vertically integrated manufacturing network in the United States once again demonstrates the flexibility that is available. the company to recycle and process fiber-based packaging through conventional pulp manufacturing systems.

“This is one of the many steps Sonoco is taking to strengthen our commitment to responsible sourcing of materials in our manufacturing operations, while integrating material circularity into our consumer packaging platforms,” ​​said said Rhue. “If a consumer recycles a container of EnviroCan paper and is sorted in the mixed paper stream, the cans can now be sent to our factories for processing into a number of new fiber products, including new EnviroCan containers. “

About Sonoco

Founded in 1899, Sonoco (NYSE: SON) is a global supplier of a variety of consumer packaging, industrial products, protective packaging, displays, and packaging supply chain services. With annualized net sales of approximately $ 5.2 billion, the company has 19,000 employees working in approximately 300 operations in 34 countries, serving some of the world’s best-known brands in some 85 countries. Sonoco is committed to creating sustainable products, services and programs for our customers, employees and communities that support our corporate goal of Better packaging. Better life. The company was named one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for 2021 and was included in Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies for the third year in a row. For more information, visit www.sonoco.com.