Recycled Cardboard Comparison

Abstract

Three tests were conducted to determine the relative strengths of virgin and recycled cardboard. Edge crush tests were performed to measure the maximum force per inch to crush the walls of a cardboard box. Burst tests were performed to determine the pressure required to rupture the side of a cardboard box. Compression tests were used to determine the behavior of cardboard under a crushing load. All tests were performed according to TAPPI protocols at standard and extreme environmental conditions. Results showed that both recycled and virgin materials exceeded industry specifications at standard conditions but that the performance of both were severely degraded at extreme conditions with the recycled material showing the greatest degradation.