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PUTTING THE FREEZE ON RECYCLED PAPERBOARD

The 100% Recycled Paperboard Alliance has announced that Joe Corbi’s Wholesale Pizza, a leading pizza kit and cookie dough fundraising program in the United States, has selected 100 percent recycled paperboard packaging for the company’s frozen Chee-Zee Bread.

Chee-Zee Bread, the company’s version of frozen garlic bread, has previously been packaged in corrugated and marketed through the Joe Corbi’s fundraising programs, but the company is now branching into the retail space and has chosen to package the new retail product in 100 percent recycled paperboard.

"The decision was made to package our new retail product in 100 percent recycled paperboard given the performance attributes of the paperboard in a frozen food environment," Victor Corbi, managing director of Joe Corbi’s Wholesale Pizza, says. "For the retail version of Chee-Zee Bread, 100 percent recycled paperboard also meets our needs for high-end graphics to catch the consumer’s eye in the highly competitive frozen food aisle."

Caraustar Industries Inc., is supplying and converting the 100 percent recycled paperboard for the new Chee-Zee Bread cartons at its York, Pa., facility.

"Joe Corbi’s switch to 100 percent recycled paperboard is a testament to the success and satisfaction that many frozen food companies are experiencing with the packaging," says Paul Schutes, executive director, RPA-100%. "These frozen foods producers find satisfaction in the value that 100 percent recycled paperboard provides, while also meeting consumer’s environmental demands and the need for performance and shelf-appeal."

Lara Donohoe says her 2-½-year-old daughter Bailey might not be alive today if it wasn’t for the CPR and first aid training she received from the American Red Cross Grant Wood Area Chapter.

Donohoe received the chapter’s "Exceptional Personal Action Award" in an October ceremony at City Carton Recycling, Iowa City. Jerry Rose, a Grant Wood Area Chapter board member, presented Donohoe with the award for saving her daughter’s life only days after participating in Red Cross adult CPR and first aid training at City Carton Recycling, where she works.

City Carton Recycling also received an "Exceptional Community Partner Award" from the American Red Cross for its commitment to community and workforce safety. City Carton Recycling has participated in the Red Cross workplace training program since 1999.

Donohoe received Red Cross training in adult CPR and first aid Aug. 3, 2005. On Aug. 8, she was driving her two children to daycare when Bailey began making unusual noises in the back seat. Bailey had turned blue and was seizing. Donohoe immediately stopped her car, placed her daughter safely on the ground and put her Red Cross training into action.

Donohoe says her training gave her the confidence and knowledge she needed to come to her daughter’s aid.

The Grant Wood Area Red Cross Chapter has offices in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.

SAM’S CLUB LAUNCHES RECYCLING PILOT

Sam’s Club and EnviroSmart, an inkjet and laser toner cartridge recycler based in Franklin, Tenn., have partnered to offer toner cartridge and cell phone recycling.

As of October, Sam’s Club customers can drop off their used inkjet and laser toner cartridges, as well as their old cell phones and batteries, at kiosks inside select Sam’s Club stores. The kiosks also will offer postage-paid envelopes for customers who prefer to mail in their empty inkjet cartridges from home.

Eleven Sam’s Club locations in Alabama, Arkansas, California and Missouri are participating in the program. Similar programs are also in place at participating stores in Michigan and in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas.

EnviroSmart recycles the collected printer cartridges and sends the cell phones and batteries collected to Michigan-based ReCellular, a leading refurbisher and recycler of cell phones, PDAs and other handheld technology.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1.5 pints of crude oil is needed to make one inkjet cartridge. According to estimates, it takes 1,000 years for an inkjet cartridge to break down in a landfill.

More information about EnviroSmart and toner cartridge recycling is available online at www.envirosmart.com.