IPS Testing Approved for Corrugated Recyclability Protocol

Published: December 12, 2011

APPLETON, WI | The protocol technical team of the Corrugated Packaging Alliance has approved IPS Testing to perform the testing protocol outlined in the Voluntary Standard for Repulping and Recylcing Corrugated Fiberboard. The protocol certifies the repulpability and recyclability of wax alternatives for treated corrugated products that reportedly improve performance in the presence of water and water vapor.

As the result of an audit, IPS Testing facilities in Appleton, WI, were approved along with a pilot machine lab at the Univ. of Wisconsin at Stevens Point (UWSP) that is acting as a subcontractor. It’s reported the UWSP will perform certain parts of the Voluntary Standard testing requirement for IPS Testing. Those interested in IPS Testing as a potential choice for laboratory certification to the Voluntary Standard testing protocol, should contact Chris Reitmeyer at 920-749-3040 x 119.

IPS Testing serves as an independent testing laboratory for many industries including paper, pulp, corrugated and print materials; nonwovens and consumer products; medical supplies; personal care and absorbent products; and allied industries. The IPS Testing laboratory combines physical and analytical testing and interpretive data analysis to offer testing services that are claimed to help improve and ensure the quality of products. IPS Testing now is the fourth laboratory approved to perform Voluntary Standard protocol, complementing NC State Univ., Dept. of Wood & Paper Science, in Raleigh, NC; Western Michigan Univ. Pilot Plant in Kalamazoo, MI; and Centre Specialise en Pates et Papiers (CSPP) in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada. To contact any of these institutions for testing protocal, visit: www.corrugated.org.

“The addition of a fourth testing lab will help move certifications forward,” said Dwight Schmidt, Fibre Box Assn. (FBA) president and executive director of the Corrugated Packaging Alliance, “at a time when the use of recyclable wax alternatives is growing dramatically. A new study showed a 30% increase in the use of these alternatives in 2010. As retailers’ interest and faith in these recyclable alternatives grow, and as more viable solutions are developed, it’s important to ensure that the infrastructure necessary to evaluate them keeps up with demand.”

Thirty-eight recyclable wax alternatives have passed certification testing and are registered with the FBA as of July 2011.

The Corrugated Packaging Alliance is a corrugated industry initiative jointly sponsored by the American Forest & Paper Assn. (AF&PA)  the Assn. of Independent Corrugated Converters (AICC) and the Fibre Box Assn. (FBA).

For more information, click here or contact the Corrugated Packaging Alliance at 800-886-5255.