Wooden Packaging Continues to be Recycled at the Lowest Rate
Ecoembes, the company responsible for the integrated waste management and recycling system covering light household packaging in Spain, has published its 2024 Punto Verde recycling centre rates for waste management. Yet another year again wood is the material with the lowest rate at a cost of €7 per ton, situating it far below other materials with higher rates and even in some cases, 100 times higher. This is the case of rigid plastic containers which will be paid at €776 per ton if disposable and €721 if reusable. On the other hand, paper and cardboard packaging which will be paid at €190 per ton if disposable and €135 if reusable.
“The rate obtained is further recognition for the low environmental impact of the production of wooden packaging,” declared Enrique Soler, President of FEDEMCO, the Spanish federation of wood packaging and components. “Packaging companies all over the world choosing wood whose products are sold in the Spanish market will benefit from this low price. In the end, it’s additional incentive for companies to choose packaging that already stands out due to its unique properties and sustainability,” he stated.
Ecoembes applies the Punto Verde rate to all Spanish and other companies who place household waste on the market in Spain and do not have their own recovery or return system. The fixed cost takes into account factors such as proper recycling practices by citizens when placing each type of waste in the corresponding bins, the price of the material on the market and recycling data for the specific material the year before.
To this end, the data are also positive for wooden packaging. According to the most recent Ecoembes annual report, wooden packaging was the material with the highest improvement in collection and management. In 2022, the recycling of this material increased by 6.8% to total more than 9,000 tons collected.
“At FEDEMCO we’re proud of this progress yet well aware that there’s still much left to be done. Nowadays, most consumers in Spain are unaware that wooden packaging must be placed in the yellow bin. What’s more, companies still often doubt the full recyclability of our packaging. For this reason, FEDEMCO has implemented its own certification process with institutional support: Ecowoox. This seal guarantees the full recyclability of each and every one of the components of packaging with this seal,” said Soler.
The most sustainable packaging
Wood is a 100% biodegradable and recyclable raw material. Since it is material that already exists in nature, the transformation process to packaging consumes very few resources: its carbon footprint is negative and water footprint is minimal. Thus, wooden packaging is the most sustainable on the market.
Find out more about wood packaging at: www.fedemco.com
