Are Cardboard Tubes Environmental Friendly?

Cardboard tubes  –   Packaging is an inevitable part of every business. Packaging materials can have a huge impact on a business- it can either boost or devastate a business. Nowadays, sustainable packaging is widespread as businesses opt to use eco-friendly packaging. Businesses have made this major shift because the millennials want to be more socially and environmentally friendly. They do not want to contribute to the ever-growing toxic packaging waste and so they prefer purchasing from a brand that sells and packs eco-friendly goods. This means that when you use environmentally friendly packaging, apart from helping the environment you will also be boosting your business and creating brand awareness. 

The term ‘eco-friendly has become more than a buzz word. From being considered as an option, it has now become a necessity. Therefore, consider what you’ve learnt at school – reduce, reuse and recycle. And try implementing it in your business. It will go a long way in implementing brand loyalty amongst eco-conscious consumers.

One of the most commonly used packaging materials is cardboard tubes. They serve multiple purposes and can be used on a wide range of products. But if you are a person who is concerned about the environment, no doubt you will worry about its nature. Are they truly environmentally friendly? This article will explain.

How Can We Say That Cardboard Tubes Are Environmentally Friendly?

Cardboard tube packaging is one of the most popular low-cost and eco-friendly packaging option for most industries. And we have good reasons to say that. Consider the following reasons:-

Cardboard comes from renewable sources

The eco-friendly benefits of cardboard tubes can be noticed right from its sources. It is sourced from either wood pulp which is processed into kraft paper or from recycled cardboard material. Both of these are renewable sources. Unlike other alternatives like plastic that is sourced from non-renewable sources, they do not harm the environment.

Cardboard tubes reduce your carbon footprint

When we consider plastic packaging, cardboard packaging is very eco-friendly as it reduces your carbon footprint. Plastics are made mostly made from fossil fuel and the extraction process of petroleum increases the carbon footprint. Moreover, plastic production amounts to nearly 3.8% of the total global greenhouse emission. On the other hand, global greenhouse emission during the production of cardboard postal tubes is only 1%. To illustrate, you will have a carbon footprint of 6 kg for the production of just 1 kg of plastic, which is ner]arky 12 times higher than the carbon footprint of cardboard or paper tubes. Unlike plastic, cardboard tubes are completely recyclable and have higher recycling rates. After the recycling process, they can be used as raw materials for producing new cardboard tubes and other cardboard products. This in turn reduces the carbon footprint as recycled paper tubes need low energy for manufacturing.

Cardboard tubes are light in weight

When compared to other packaging materials like wood, plastic and metal, cardboard tubes are very much less in weight. As a result, you can carry a lot of products that are packed in paper tubes using the same amount of fuel. This again will reduce your carbon footprint.

Recycling cardboard tubes is easy

Paper and cardboard are widely recycled than plastic all over the world. Even though plastic is recycled, the recycling rates are very less. In the EU only 40% of the total plastic is collected for recycling and only the PET and HDPE plastics are mostly collected and recycled. Whereas, 31% is disposed of through other means like incineration. On the contrary, the recycling rates of cardboard are high. In the EU, the recycling rates of paper and cardboard is more than 80%. An additional 7% is recycled through incineration. As the recycling rates of cardboard is high, they do not end up in ocean beds and landfills. Moreover, as paper tubes do not contain toxins, they do not have an adverse effect on society. Whilst, the recycling rates of paper and cardboard is more than 80% in the EU. A further 7% is recycled through incineration. Therefore, paper tubes do not end up in excessive quantities in landfills and ocean beds. 

Disposal & Waste Management

Cardboard tubes are bio-degradable and take less time to break down when compared to plastic. It only takes 2-3 months to break down in the soil. Therefore a cardboard tube with no additional lining and print is completely safe for the environment.

How To Reuse Cardboard Tubes?

An item can be called environmentally friendly only if it can be reused. Well, there are many ways to reuse cardboard tubes. Cardboard Tube Crafts is one of the best ways to do that. Let’s consider a few ideas.

Wrapping paper

Storing wrapping paper is a challenge for many. But you can do it easily by cutting a cardboard tube lengthwise and slipping your wrapping paper. It will keep the paper in place and keep it from unravelling.

Gardening

You can use these tubes to start seeds for your garden. Press part of the edge down, and do the same on all edges until you form a flat surface. Then you can fill the tube with potting mix and plant your seeds. Once they have grown enough you can plant them with the tube in your garden. You can grow several plants from one large cardboard tube. 

Are Cardboard Tubes Environmentally Friendly? 

Considering all the facts given above we may have concluded that they are completely eco-friendly. But also remember that they are produced in paper mills. These mills are one of the biggest industries that cause chemical pollution and these chemicals create air and water pollution. And they are the fifth largest consumer of energy. Henceforth, although being bio-degradable elements we cannot confirm that they are totally environmentally friendly. However, with their capability to be recycled and reused, they have less eco-impact than their alternatives.