Carton, Board & Paper Taking packaging sustainability
beyond the material By Lachlan Buirds, managing director at Edale
S
ustainability discussions around corrugated packaging often focus on fi bre-based substrates and recyclability rates. While these factors are important, they represent only part of the environmental picture. The inks and coatings applied to paper and board also play a critical role in determining how packaging performs throughout its lifecycle, from production effi ciency and regulatory compliance to recyclability and fi bre recovery.
As sustainability expectations continue to evolve, converters and brands are increasingly evaluating packaging as an integrated system rather than a collection of individual components. This shift is driving greater attention to print chemistry and to the role that innovative ink and coating technologies can play in supporting more responsible packaging outcomes.
FIBRE ALONE CANNOT DEFINE ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE Corrugated board remains an attractive choice for brands, and for good reason. It off ers multiple environmental benefi ts: it originates from renewable feedstocks, it can be recycled repeatedly before signifi cant degradation occurs, and it is compatible with high-volume supply chains.
Even so, these advantages depend on how the full packaging structure behaves. While the substrate sets the foundation, the surface materials applied during converting determine whether its full potential can be reached. Inks and coatings travel with the fi bre through pulping, reprocessing and end-of-life pathways. If the printed layer introduces incompatible substances, the theoretical recyclability of the substrate is compromised.
THE TECHNICAL INFLUENCE OF INKS AND COATINGS
The surface chemistry of inks and coatings can assist in getting the most out of paper and board’s sustainability performance. The formulation of these products infl uences everything from energy consumption during drying to VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) emissions and how printed fi bre behaves in recycling systems. It also directly impacts the chemical inventory associated with the fi nished pack, which has implications for regulatory compliance, compostability, odour neutrality, application suitability and more. These factors infl uence both the way the pack performs and its ultimate environmental outcomes.
LOOKING FORWARD AT MORE RESPONSIBLE PRINT CHEMISTRY
Advancements in formulation science and raw material sourcing have made it possible to design printing inks and coatings with substantially lower environmental impact. Within Flint Group Packaging Solutions’ Paper & Board portfolio, this progress is realised in the TerraCode Bio technology platform. TerraCode Bio incorporates high levels of renewable and recycled materials, reaching up to 90 per cent bio renewable content. Its raw materials are responsibly selected to avoid competing with food production or increasing deforestation, as well as limiting reliance on fossil-based feedstocks. This shift reduces the environmental impacts associated with sourcing and processing raw materials, strengthening the overall environmental profi le of the fi nished pack. The solution also supports downstream performance by ensuring that TerraCode Bio does not negatively impact the re-pulpability or recyclability of paper and board packaging. Cleaner pulping behaviour supports fi bre recovery, limiting potential contamination and maximising the amount of high- quality material that can be reclaimed for reuse within existing recycling streams.
PERFORMANCE ENGINEERED FOR ALL CONDITIONS
However, strong environmental credentials alone are insuffi cient for wider-scale adoption. Ink systems designed for sustainability must also deliver performance that converters can depend
on under commercial conditions, and that is exactly what TerraCode Bio does. The formulation has been validated across multiple print environments to confi rm stability, colour strength, lay down and drying behaviour. These systems integrate directly into existing base ink systems and workfl ows, enabling converters to begin upgrading their sustainability performance without compromising productivity.
MOVING SUSTAINABILITY TO A SYSTEM- LEVEL DESIGN QUESTION
The ultimate performance of a pack depends on how its fi bres, inks, coatings and adhesives interact throughout manufacture, use and recovery. Improving one element in isolation will always deliver limited value. Instead, a coordinated approach to materials and formulation will usually better serve long-term fi bre quality and overall sustainability performance.
Ink and coating innovation sits squarely at the heart of achieving these outcomes. Formulations like TerraCode Bio are integral to strengthening the environmental credentials of corrugated packaging while maintaining the quality and effi ciency demanded in modern print production. When substrates, inks and coatings are specifi ed as an integrated design rather than treated in isolation, converters gain greater control over environmental impact and operational performance, creating a more robust foundation for credible, future-ready sustainability strategies.
www.convertermag.com
May/June 2026
35
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