Cardboard emissions

Cardboard is one of the world's most common packaging materials — and one of the more climate-friendly ones. When it comes to cardboard and carbon emissions, the material has a very low footprint. Several studies even rank cardboard as the smartest packaging choice for the climate compared to plastic and glass.

Cardboard, plastic or glass?

Several factors decide whether a packaging material is climate-smart, and they span the whole product life cycle. First, the packaging has to do its job well — protecting its contents — otherwise it leads to waste, which matters especially for food. It should also be light and easy to transport, since heavy materials drive up the emissions of every shipment. Finally, it should be easy to recycle without consuming large amounts of energy.

Studies show that plastic, glass and cardboard packaging have a similar effect on overfertilisation — they all contribute to nitrogen and phosphorus emissions — so cardboard holds no advantage there. But when it comes to carbon emissions specifically, cardboard is far ahead, partly because the material is simply easier to work with.

Why cardboard's carbon footprint is low

Cardboard is made from renewable raw material in the form of cellulose, mostly sourced from wood. That means it does not add fossil carbon to the atmosphere when burned, unlike plastic, which is made from fossil fuels. The greenhouse gas emissions from producing cardboard run between roughly 0.25 and 1 kg of CO₂ equivalents per kg of material, depending on the energy mix used in production — the greener the electricity, the lower the figure.

Glass is also made from a natural material (sand), but it is far heavier, so glass packaging produces more transport emissions. Cardboard, by contrast, is light, easy to pack and well suited to efficient, lightweight transport.

Recycling cardboard

Recycling is another area where cardboard performs well, with low emissions and an easy process. Paper fibres can be recycled around six times before they wear out; the exact number depends on what the cardboard is reused for and what it is mixed with. Because recycled fibre makes up only a modest share of new paper production, recycling alone isn't enough — reusing cardboard yourself at home, and simply using as little material as possible, makes a real difference.

Choose certified packaging

A good way to show consideration for the environment is to make sure the raw material in the cardboard is certified — for example, by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which aims to ensure packaging comes from responsible, environmentally sound forestry.

Paper bag or plastic bag?

The advantage of a paper bag is that it is recyclable and biodegradable, unlike plastic. The catch: a medium-sized paper bag causes around 430 g of carbon emissions on average — about three times as much as a plastic bag of the same size — because paper is energy intensive to produce. The best and simplest thing you can do for the environment is to invest in reusable bags. The second most sustainable bag is the one that gets reused.