How does Meika Carton reduce waste generation and achieve green production in its production process?
Release Time : 2026-02-25
In Meika Carton's production process, reducing waste and achieving green production requires a multi-dimensional, collaborative approach encompassing raw material selection, production process optimization, equipment upgrades, intelligent layout, waste management, operational standards, and green design. This collaborative effort aims to build a resource-saving and environmentally friendly sustainable production system.
Raw material selection is the foundation of green production. Meika Carton primarily uses recyclable paper, prioritizing paper made from recycled pulp, bamboo pulp, bagasse, and other renewable resources, reducing reliance on natural wood. These materials are not only widely available but also consume less energy and emit less carbon during production, aligning with the principles of a circular economy. Furthermore, long-term partnerships with suppliers ensure stable raw material quality, preventing processing losses due to paper defects and reducing waste generation risks at the source.
Optimizing production processes is crucial for waste reduction. Traditional printing processes such as slotting and die-cutting generate significant amounts of scrap. Flexographic printing technology, through light pressure printing, can directly print solid and halftone images on corrugated cardboard, reducing registration errors and lowering the scrap rate due to printing defects. Furthermore, pre-printing, where printing is done on the face paper before laminating it with the corrugated paper, avoids damage to the corrugated structure caused by direct printing on the cardboard, improving the overall strength of the carton and reducing scrap due to insufficient compression resistance.
Equipment upgrades and the application of smart technologies can significantly improve material utilization. Fully automated production lines equipped with intelligent cutting systems, such as Bobst Nesting Pro or HP Indigo SmartCut, can automatically optimize layout based on the carton structure, reducing the scrap rate from over 9.5% in traditional processes to below 6.5%. High-precision die-cutting machines, by precisely controlling the edge dimensions, reduce full-page trimming waste and avoid material waste caused by excessive trimming. In addition, regular equipment maintenance ensures operational accuracy and prevents production errors caused by gear wear or paper guide gap deviations.
Waste management requires standardized disposal pathways. Clean waste paper fibers generated during production, such as unprinted whiteboard paper edges and E/B/C grade corrugated core strips, account for over 92% of the total waste. After simple crushing and screening, this type of waste can be directly recycled into the production of linerboard or corrugated base paper, forming a closed-loop utilization. Some leading companies achieve 100% closed-loop recycling of waste paper within their plants, reducing virgin wood pulp consumption by 0.42 tons and carbon emissions by approximately 0.96 tons per ton of waste. For non-recyclable materials, such as laminating waste, they are handled by qualified hazardous waste disposal units to ensure compliance.
Improving operator skills is a crucial aspect of reducing production losses. Details such as the paper feed roller clearance calibration and the guide paper clearance control of the slotting knife holder all affect the scrap rate. Regular training enhances operators' ability to accurately adjust equipment parameters, preventing defects caused by paper feed misalignment and printing misalignment. Simultaneously, rationally allocating the amount of cardboard requisitioned based on production capacity reduces "dead inventory" caused by overproduction and minimizes additional losses from replenishing short-production quantities.
Green design concepts are integrated throughout the entire product lifecycle. While meeting functional requirements, optimizing box structure reduces material usage. For example, folding designs reduce cardboard thickness, and structural innovation improves space utilization, reducing the amount of packaging needed during transportation. Furthermore, the application of biodegradable materials, such as water-based inks instead of oil-based inks, reduces volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, mitigating environmental pollution.
Policy support and industry collaboration promote green production. Governments guide companies towards environmentally friendly transformation by enacting policies that restrict excessive packaging and encourage high-quality packaging. Industry associations provide standardized guidance by developing green manufacturing evaluation standards, such as the "Evaluation Standard for Green Manufacturing in the Paper Packaging Industry." Sharing intelligent typesetting technology and jointly procuring recycled materials can further reduce the cost of green transformation and accelerate the industry's sustainable development.