Last week we celebrated the 43rd Earth Day. First celebrated on April 22, 1970, the day has grown into a worldwide celebration of our planet. Earth Day is the largest civic observance in the world with more than 1 billion people in over 150 countries participating in Earth Day activities each year.
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Americans recycled nearly 45 million tons of paper and cardboard in 2010, which represents a 63% recycling rate. Additionally, 85% of corrugated cardboard was recovered in 2010. With such a strong track record for cardboard, we turned our attention to packing materials.
And so, we would like to take the opportunity to talk about the Peanut Hotline, a national packaging reuse program. Every Pak Mail location participates in the Peanut Hotline. The recycle and reuse program was started by the Plastic Loose Fill Council. The Plastic Loose Fill Council was founded in 1991 to promote the recycling and reuse of polystyrene loose fill (also known as packing peanuts) with the establishment of the Peanut Hotline (800-828-2214). The Hotline and website serve as a national 24-hour directory that provides information about the nearest locations that accept loose fill for recycling and reuse.
With more than 500 locations across the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Japan providing a drop-off location for packing peanut recycling, Pak Mail is proud to be part of the movement to increase the recycling rate for other packing materials. We are committed to working with organizations like the Plastic Loose Fill Council and our customers to engage in environmentally-friendly packing and shipping practices. Talk to a local Pak Mail expert about reducing waste and conserving our natural resources when it comes to specialty shipping.