Resources

Recyclability

An overview of the repulpability and recyclability of paperboards with EarthCoating®.

How Paper Recycling Works

A major part of the paper recycling process includes extracting and cleaning fibers from non-paper contaminants that can be found in the recycled paper stream. Unlike traditional plastic coatings, EarthCoating® is engineered for efficient processing in recycling systems.

EarthCoating® is designed to fracture into small, dense particles in the pulping process, thereby avoiding the challenges found with traditional plastic coatings. The mineral content (calcium carbonate) behaves like a clay coating during repulping, separating cleanly from the paper fibers and drawn by gravity away from the collected fibers.

Any residual EarthCoating passes through the screening process to be removed by centrifugal cleaners, providing clean fibers for use in recycled papermaking.

01

Collection

Paper cups and packaging with EarthCoating are collected in the standard paper recycling stream.

02

Pulping

In the pulper, EarthCoating fractures into small, dense particles — behaving like clay, not plastic.

03

Separation

The mineral particles are easily separated from paper fibers using conventional recycling equipment.

04

New Products

Clean paper fibers are used to create new high-quality paper products, including gift wrap and tissue.

Certifications & Ratings

AAA Recyclability Rating

Paper cups with EarthCoating have received a 95% rating for recyclability from Der Grüne Punkt (The Green Dot).

Path 13 Qualification

Paper cups with EarthCoating qualify for collection in Path 13, the premium uncoated paper recycling stream (Cyclos-HTP).

Recycled Into Premium Products

Paper packaging with EarthCoating has been successfully recycled into high-quality products including Hallmark gift wrap.

Repulpability Report

We've recently added additional content to our repulpability report and will continue to update our data as new information becomes available.

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