Sustainable Packaging: On Track for Big Growth

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. generated 236 million tons of municipal solid waste in 2003. Just over 30 percent was recovered through recycling or composting. The rest was combusted or land filled. The good news is that recycling recovery rates been climbing steadily in recent years. In 2003, paper and paperboard recovery rose to 40 million tons. Metals were recycled at 36 percent. While there is room for improvement, these statistics point to the public’s increased interest in environmental stewardship. As companies seek to become more environmentally responsible, earthfriendly packaging plays a key role.