Press release submitted on behalf of Metsä Board
Metsä Board has completed a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment* comparing the carbon footprints of takeaway food trays made from MetsäBoard Pro FSB Cup and fossil-based polypropylene. The study included biogenic carbon sequestration and emissions and was verified by independent reviewers from RISE and SimaPro UK. Multiple end-of-life scenarios were assessed, including regional recycling and full incineration.
Under the U.S. end-of-life scenario**, the carbon footprint of a takeaway food tray made of MetsäBoard Pro FSB Cup was shown to be negative for the studied life cycle – meaning that more carbon, expressed as CO₂ equivalents, was bound in the paperboard’s fibers than was released during the processes of the first life cycle. The carbon footprint of the PP tray was 0.112 kg CO2e. When the end-of-life scenario was 100% incineration, the carbon footprint of a takeaway food tray made of MetsäBoard Pro FSB Cup was 91% lower than that of a tray made of polypropylene.
The recycling rate of paperboard packaging is higher than that of plastic packaging in Europe, and recycling delays carbon release from the packaging material. The recycling rate of paperboard packaging is higher than that of plastic packaging in the USA.**
Both plastic and paperboard contain carbon, which forms carbon dioxide during incineration. The key difference is that paperboard’s emissions are balanced by the carbon dioxide absorbed from the atmosphere during tree growth, while fossil-based plastics add new carbon to the atmosphere.
“In addition to the biogenic carbon and high recycling rates, our paperboard benefits from the high share of fossil-free energy in production, which was 89% in 2024. Metsä Board’s target is to phase out the use of fossil energy in its mills by 2030,” says Lari Oksala, Sustainability Manager at Metsä Board. “The packaging material must always be tested and selected according to the intended application. The greatest climate benefit comes when packaging performs its core task – protecting the product.”
This study is part of a larger set of comparisons Metsä Board has been conducting to provide transparent, science‑based insights into the climate impacts of different packaging materials. “It is essential that we provide verified, science‑based data to support our customers in making informed packaging choices. Such comparisons help the market move towards solutions that reduce climate impact,” says Marjo Halonen, VP Marketing, Communications and Sustainability.
*) The study was performed in accordance with ISO 14040, ISO 14044 and ISO 14067. The functional unit was a takeaway food tray that met the necessary properties of stiffness, functionality, and moisture resistance. The selected system boundary for the study was cradle-to-grave and the selected climate change impact methodology was IPCC 2021 Climate Change: Total (incl. biogenic CO2). Climate change impacts for competing materials utilises data from Ecoinvent 3.10. The PE-coated paperboard tray weighed 18.9 g of which 0.65 g was PE. The weight of PP tray was 27 g. The technical background report and the 3rd party verification statement are available on Metsä Board’s website.
**) EPA (US) 2018. The recycling rate for paper and cardboard packaging was 68.2%, 6.2% was combusted and 25.6% was landfilled. For plastic packaging, the recycling rate was 8.7%, 15.8% was combusted and 75.5% landfilled.” https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/documents/2018_ff_fact_sheet.pdf
About Metsä Board
Metsä Board is a producer of lightweight and high-quality folding boxboards, food service boards and white kraftliners. The fresh wood fibres we use in our products are a renewable and recyclable resource, that can be traced back to Northern European forests. Our target is that by 2030 our mills will not use fossil-based energy. We promote a culture of diversity, equality and inclusion.
Metsä Board is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki. In 2024 our sales totalled EUR 1.9 billion, and we have around 2,300 employees. Metsä Board is part of Metsä Group, whose parent company Metsäliitto Cooperative is owned by over 90,000 Finnish forest owners.