No doubt about it, rigid paper containers offer marketing, sustainability and packaging technology benefits. Check out the region-specific responses to common questions about rigid paper containers to better understand their makeup and how Sonoco’s own EnviroCan® container can benefit brands, consumers and the environment.
United States
- What is a rigid paper container and what is it made from?
Rigid paper containers (RPC), also known as spiral wound paper containers/canisters, are a type of paperboard packaging made with a can body comprised of 100% recycled paperboard (90% post-consumer recycled content). The paper canisters can be manufactured with a paper or steel bottom, and they can have an oxygen and moisture barrier layer that’s thinner than a human hair, providing optimal shelf life performance as dictated by the customer.
- What is the advantage of a rigid paper container?
Rigid paper containers offer a full billboard for optimized print and branding opportunities. The package can also be manufactured with barrier technology to enhance shelf life and performance. Finally, this item can be collected in the steel stream, limiting its impact to landfill.
- Is there a layer of different materials like plastic and aluminum on rigid paper containers?
Depending on the shelf life requirements of certain products, plastic and aluminum are used to meet the customers’ needs and manufacture a rigid paper container. These components offer barriers and an airtight seal to protect the fill product and keep food fresher for longer.
- What are the specific advantages of the EnviroCan® container?
EnviroCan® container body is made with 100% recycled paperboard (90% post-consumer recycled content) and offers a full billboard for optimized print and branding opportunities. The package can also be manufactured with oxygen and moisture barrier technology to enhance shelf-life, performance and ensure food safety. Finally, depending on the local collection streams, this item can be collected in the mixed material and/or paper streams, creating a lower environmental impact versus landfill.
- How do I recycle rigid paper containers?
Check locally to see if your municipality accepts steel recycling.
If accepted, place cans in recycling receptacle. Items will be sorted at the local recycling center.
If your municipality does not accept steel items or does not accommodate curbside recycling pickup, you can collect and drop off your rigid paper containers at the nearest steel collection center.
- What happens to the package once placed in the recycling bin?
Rigid paper containers are sorted into the steel stream and baled. The steel bottom is recycled and used to make new products, alleviating the need to mine and use virgin iron ore. Today, Sonoco utilizes recovered steel to manufacture metal ends for rigid paper containers. Paper and plastic add calorific value to the steel recycling process.
- How can Sonoco’s rigid paper containers improve my environmental footprint?
Sonoco’s rigid paper containers have a lighter weight and reduced environmental footprint than comparably sized steel cans or other rigid packaging types. The paperboard containers are produced from sustainably sourced materials and are recyclable. Certifications are available confirming the use of responsibly sourced fiber for EnviroCan® products. Overall, this results in a circular solution with positive effects for the environment.
More Information About Sonoco's US Operations
United Kingdom
- What is a rigid paper container and what is it made from?
Rigid paper containers (RPC), also known as cylindrical paper containers/canisters, are a type of paperboard packaging with a can body made with 100% recycled paperboard (90% post-consumer recycled content). The paper container can be manufactured with a paper or steel bottom and can have an oxygen and moisture barrier layer thinner than a human hair to provide food safety and optimal shelf-life performance.
- What is the advantage of a rigid paper container?
Rigid paper containers offer a full billboard for optimized print and branding opportunities. The package can also be manufactured with barrier technology to enhance shelf-life and performance. Finally, rigid paper containers with paper bottom can be collected in paper streams, while rigid paper containers with metal end can be collected at the nearest recycling point through the ACE UK bring bank scheme, limiting impacts to landfill.
- Is there a layer of different materials like plastic and aluminum on rigid paper containers?
In some cases, yes. Depending on the shelf-life requirements of certain products, plastic and aluminum can be used to manufacture a rigid paper container. These components offer barriers to protect the fill product and keep food fresh for longer as well as a gas-tight seal.
The poly-al liner can be removed easily and completely from the pulp in the recycling process. The poly-al can then be recovered and fed into a chemical recycling process with the recovery of metal and plastic material.
- What are the specific advantages of the EnviroCan® container?
EnviroCan® container body is made with 100% recycled paperboard (90% post-consumer recycled content) and offers a full billboard for optimized print and branding opportunities. The package can also be manufactured with oxygen and moisture barrier technology to enhance shelf-life, performance and ensure food safety. Finally, this item can be collected in the paper stream or in bring banks, creating a lower environmental impact versus landfill.
- How do I recycle rigid paper containers?
Because recycling varies by region, the first step to recycling a rigid paper container is to check local recycling websites to understand what is accepted.
If curbside collection is available, rigid paper containers can be placed in the mixed material collection stream or in separate paper streams.
If curbside collection is unavailable, the rigid paper containers can be dropped at recycling centers or bring banks.
- What happens to the package once placed in the recycling bin?
Rigid paper containers are collected and baled with the carton stream. They are sent to the paper mill. The pulp from recycled rigid paper containers is utilized to produce new rolls of paper from recycled fibres. This paper is used to manufacture new products. At Sonoco, this surplus produces paper cores, tubes and other packaging formats.
Because recycling varies by region, the first step to recycling a rigid paper container is to check local recycling websites to understand what is accepted.
If kerbside collection is available, rigid paper containers can be placed in the mixed material collection stream or in separate paper streams.
If kerbside collection is unavailable, rigid paper containers can be dropped at recycling centers or bring banks.
- How can Sonoco’s rigid paper containers improve my environmental footprint?
Sonoco’s rigid paper containers have a lighter weight and reduced environmental footprint than comparably sized steel cans or other rigid packaging types. The paperboard containers can be produced from sustainably sourced materials and are recyclable. Certifications are available confirming the use of responsibly sourced fibre for EnviroCan® products. Overall, this results in a circular solution with positive effects for the environment.
More Information About Sonoco's UK Operations
Europe
- What is a rigid paper container and what is it made from?
Rigid paper containers (RPC), also known as cylindrical paper containers, are a type of paperboard packaging with a can body made with 100% recycled paperboard (90% post-consumer recycled content). The paperboard containers can be manufactured with a plastic, paper or metal end. An oxygen and moisture barrier layer, thinner than a human hair, provides food safety and optimal shelf-life performance.
- What is the advantage of a rigid paper container?
Rigid paper containers offer a full billboard for optimized print and branding opportunities. The package can also be manufactured with barrier technology to enhance shelf-life and performance. Finally, this item can be collected in the mixed material and/or paper streams (depending on the local collection streams), limiting its impact to landfill.
- Is there a layer of different materials like plastic and aluminum on rigid paper containers?
In some cases, yes. Depending on the shelf-life requirements of certain products, plastic and aluminum can be used to manufacture a rigid paper container. These components offer barriers to protect the fill product and keep food fresh for longer as well as a gas-tight seal.
The poly-al liner can be removed easily and completely from the pulp in the recycling process. The poly-al can then be recovered and fed into a chemical recycling process with the recovery of metal and plastic material.
- What are the specific advantages of the EnviroCan® container?
EnviroCan® container body is made with 100% recycled paperboard (90% post-consumer recycled content) and offers a full billboard for optimized print and branding opportunities. The package can also be manufactured with oxygen and moisture barrier technology to enhance shelf-life, performance and ensure food safety. Finally, depending on the local collection streams, this item can be collected in the mixed material and/or paper streams, creating a lower environmental impact versus landfill.
- How do I recycle rigid paper containers?
Because recycling differs widely between European countries, the first step to recycling a rigid paper container is to check local recycling websites to understand what is accepted.
If curbside collection is available, rigid paper containers can be placed in the mixed material collection stream or in separate paper streams.
- What happens to the package once placed in the recycling bin?
Rigid paper containers are collected and baled with the paper stream. They are sent to the paper mill. The pulp from recycled rigid paper containers is utilized to produce new rolls of paper from recycled fibres. This paper is used to manufacture new products. At Sonoco, this surplus produces paper cores, tubes and other packaging formats.
- How can Sonoco’s rigid paper containers improve my environmental footprint?
Sonoco’s rigid paper containers have a lighter weight and reduced environmental footprint than comparably sized metal cans or other rigid packaging types. The paperboard containers can be produced from sustainably sourced materials and are recyclable. Certifications are available confirming the use of responsibly sourced fibre for EnviroCan® products. Overall, this results in a circular solution with positive effects for the environment.
