Jamestown Board of Public Utilities Solid Waste customers may recycle boxboard, beginning in 2013.
According to Becky Robbins, BPU communications coordinator, boxboard is a long-requested recyclable which now can be accepted by the BPU's recycling vendor. The boxboard may be placed in recycling bins with paper and corrugated cardboard in the same week.
Corrugated cardboard is actually made from two layers of paper, one layer of wavy paper and another layer of paper. Boxboard, a heavy paper used to make food packaging and gift boxes, appears to contain only one paper layer.
Examples of boxboard include boxes used to hold food mixes, cereals, tissue, toothpaste, cosmetics, medication, shoes and gifts.
Recycled boxboard is generally used to make new boxboard, puzzles and items such as egg cartons.
"Recycling paper and boxboard for reuse requires up to 65 percent less energy to make new paper and boxboard than the energy required to make these products from wood," Mrs. Robbins said. "Every ton of recycled paper and boxboard saves approximately 17 trees."