Sonoco announced favorable results from a recent study by trial with Sustana in collaboration with Kellogg's, providing new opportunities to recycle paper containers. Through three third-party sortation trials, Sonoco confirmed that paper containers with steel bottoms can be recycled in the steel stream. The next step was to further increase the recyclability of paper containers in the paper stream.

There was already proven success in producing 100% recycled paperboard with up to 85% post-consumer fiber from bales of mixed paper at all Sonoco U.S. paper mills, but it was still unknown if paper containers could be recycled further. By partnering with Sustana, the leading manufacture of sustainably produced premium recycled fiber and paper, Sonoco validated the idea that paper containers could be processed in the paper stream and made into reusable materials. This Sustana trial confirmed that through the pulping process, the fiber components separate from non-fiber components.

The remaining fiber can be made into usable paperboard for new products, thus creating a circular economy journey.