DS Smith Study: Baby Boomers Are Most Eager To Recycle
Board Converting NEWS INTERNET DIRECTORY
Americans are awash in boxes from a pandemic-induced push to online shopping. But how do consumers feel about those boxes? Baby Boomers, the generation that came of age amid the first Earth Day in 1970, are the most motivated to recycle those leftover boxes, according to a nationwide poll by global packaging leader DS Smith. And the majority of consumers (57 percent) don’t mind the ex- tras, because “you can never have too many boxes” for re-shipping, storage and other purposes. Boomers outpaced all other generations in taking re- sponsibility for recycling. But all groups were united when asked about the surplus of boxes from e-commerce spend- ing and the message was clear: They’re not bothered by the extra packages but do want them made of sustainable materials. Approximately 44 percent of those surveyed report getting more shopping deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 15 percent saying they are “drowning in boxes.” In an important, pro-environment signal, three-quar- ters (73 percent) of those polled say they care if the box is made from sustainable materials. “As consumers increasingly turn to e-commerce, they don’t want to feel guilty about the packaging that comes along with it,” said Mark Ushpol, Managing Director of the North America Packaging Division for DS Smith. “They want packaging that is sustainable, and corrugated boxes made from renewable fiber are reusable and recyclable, helping businesses and consumers tackle those challeng- es and feel good about their choices.” Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) put the responsibility to recycle their boxes on themselves, with the rest saying sustainability falls on the companies that make the prod- ucts packaged in the boxes (34 percent) or recycling ser- vices in their local communities (33 percent). Broken out by generation, Baby Boomers (71 percent) hold themselves more accountable for responsibly recy- cling their boxes than others - millennials (60 percent), Gen Z (59 percent) and Gen X (58 percent). Boomers, at 65 percent, also say they are unconcerned with the additional packages they’ve received from e-com- merce and more likely than younger generations to say you can never have too many boxes lying around. About 28 percent of all consumers say it’s a constant reminder they are shopping online too much. Despite the eagerness of many groups to say they recy- cle, the U.S. lags behind most of the developed world with less than 35 percent of its overall waste recycled – a rate that has remained static since 2005. And the residential recovery rate for corrugated boxes remains between 30- 40 percent, as compared with a 95 percent commercial re- covery rate, indicating there is room for improvement, es- CONTINUED ON PAGE 42
THE HAIRE GROUP www.hairegroup.com
Haire Group is the premier provider of new machinery for the corrugated industry. As the exclusive US & Canadian agent for one of the largest machinery manufacturers in the world, Haire Group is able to pair clients with the best machinery solutions for the best value to meet their spe- cific needs. As an operating partner of the US-based DFA Technical Support Center (a joint venture of Haire Group and Dong Fang), Haire Group delivers top-notch 24/7 pro- fessional, reliable service and support, maximizing quality and uptime. Additionally, Haire Group has been the indus- try’s #1 pre-owned machinery broker and plant equipment appraiser since 1976. HarperLove is the leading provider of specialty adhesives, performance additives, and wet-strength resins to corru- gated packaging manufacturers. With the largest and most experienced field service and technical support team posi- tioned throughout the U.S. and Latin America, HarperLove has a long-standing reputation for providing outstanding service and delivering demonstrable performance improve- ments. HarperLove’s renowned services include not only innovative product development and custom product for- mulation, but also machine and process assessments, ad- hesive formula adjustments, machine tuning, detailed ser- vice reporting, and more. HARPERLOVE www.HarperLove.com
KIWIPLAN www.kiwiplan.com
Kiwiplan - premier worldwide software provider of enter- prise-wide, fully automatic solutions specifically for the cor- rugating and packaging industries. Kiwiplan’s Total Solution delivers comprehensive, seamless real-time flow of infor- mation from sales order management to dynamic total plant scheduling and inventory control through shipping.
MAROTECH INC. www.marotech.com
Manufacturer of Marotape®, Marotape®Plus, Marotape® FPT and MaroString™; hot melt coated tapes and strings used for reinforcement and easy-open features for pack- aging. Marotech Inc. also manufactures state-of-the-art dispensing and tape placement equipments to optimize the productivity of applying hot melt coated tapes in pack- aging.
40
www.boardconvertingnews.com
May 24, 2021
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs