Georgia-Pacific operates recycled paper mills in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Muskogee, Oklahoma
Georgia-Pacific’s paper mills are now accepting mixed paper bales with PE-coated paper cups. (Credit: PRNewsfoto/ Georgia-Pacific.)
US pulp and paper company Georgia-Pacific has announced that its recycled paper mills are accepting mixed paper bales containing single-use polyethylene (PE)-coated paper cups.
The company operates recycled paper mills in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Muskogee, Oklahoma.
The latest move is the result of a two-year collaboration with the Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI) and Closed Loop Partners-led global initiative NextGen Consortium.
Georgia-Pacific sustainability vice-president John Mulcahy said: “As single-use paper cups have grown in popularity in recent years so, too, has paper cup waste.
“As a leading manufacturer of paper foodservice products, we continually look for ways to consume fewer resources as part of our longer-term strategy to identify solutions that benefit society.
“Accepting mixed paper bales containing PE-coated cups at our Green Bay and Muskogee mills is a significant step in this direction.”
Georgia-Pacific’s repulping capability to benefit foodservice industry
The Georgia-Pacific’s new repulping capability is expected to benefit the foodservice industry and boost environmental commitment while further advancing the industry’s environmental stewardship.
Closed Loop Partners centre for the circular economy managing director Kate Daly said: “This acceptance will also benefit new non-polyethylene next generation cups, marking an important step forward for the industry as a whole, and we hope even more mills will follow this lead.
“As the managing partner of the NextGen Consortium, we continue to work with leaders like Georgia-Pacific to engage, educate, and collaborate with stakeholders across the cup value chain in order to keep valuable materials in play.”
Working with FPI, Georgia-Pacific seeks to expand and accelerate single-use PE-coated paper cup acceptance in the curbside recycling programme.
Last year, Georgia-Pacific announced that it is exiting the communication papers business following an assessment of its long-term competitive position in a declining market.