The environmental footprint of packaging is not determined solely by the consumer-facing primary package. Secondary and tertiary packaging — the corrugated cases, stretch film, corner protectors, pallet wraps, and void fill used across warehousing and transport — represent a considerable material volume that often receives less attention in sustainability reviews than the retail package itself.

For Canadian businesses operating distribution networks, adjustments to packaging specifications at each tier of the supply chain can reduce material use, improve end-of-life outcomes, and in some cases lower freight costs through dimensional weight reductions.

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Packaging

Packaging functions differ by tier:

  • Primary packaging is in direct contact with the product (a yogurt tub, a cereal box). It carries brand communication and consumer-facing information.
  • Secondary packaging groups primary units for retail display or warehouse handling (a cardboard shipper case, a shrink-wrapped tray of bottles).
  • Tertiary packaging consolidates secondary units for transport and storage (stretch-wrapped pallets, corner boards, pallet hoods).

Sustainability measures applied at secondary and tertiary levels often have lower visibility with consumers but can reduce material use at significant scale, particularly for businesses with high shipping volumes.

Secondary Packaging: Corrugated and Alternatives

Corrugated cardboard remains the dominant material for secondary packaging in Canada. Its recyclability through established paper streams, domestic manufacturing base (Canadian-produced corrugated uses a high proportion of recycled fibre), and structural performance make it a widely suitable option for many product categories.

Specifications that affect the material efficiency and recyclability of corrugated secondary packaging include:

  • Board grade and flute profile: Selecting a board grade matched to the actual compression requirements of the product and distribution channel avoids over-specification of heavier flutes where a lighter grade would perform adequately.
  • Coatings and printing: Wax coatings applied for moisture resistance render corrugated non-recyclable. Aqueous coatings, which repel moderate moisture while remaining dispersable in the pulping process, are a recyclable alternative. Heavy ink coverage — particularly metallic inks — can reduce paper fibre recovery quality.
  • Case dimensions: Case dimensions that result in excessive void space require additional dunnage (void fill) to prevent product movement. Right-sized case design, where feasible, reduces both corrugated use and the volume of void fill material required.

Void Fill and Dunnage

Void fill materials — those used to prevent product movement inside a shipping case — are a category where alternatives to expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam and inflated plastic pillows are well-established and widely available in Canada:

  • Paper void fill: Kraft paper crumple or honeycomb paper structures are accepted in corrugated recycling streams and are compostable. Paper void fill performs adequately for lightweight and non-fragile products. For heavier or fragile items, performance testing against EPS equivalents is advisable.
  • Moulded pulp inserts: For product-specific fragile items (electronics, glassware), moulded pulp inserts — produced from recycled paper fibre — provide structural protection comparable to EPS foam in many applications. Moulded pulp inserts are recyclable (uncoated) and compostable.
  • Inflated air pillows: LDPE air pillows are lighter than paper alternatives and provide cushioning through air volume. They are not recyclable through curbside streams but can be returned through flexible plastic film collection programmes at select retailers.

Stretch Film and Pallet Wrapping

Stretch film (LLDPE linear low-density polyethylene) used for pallet wrapping is one of the higher-volume plastic materials in B2B distribution. Options for reducing impact include:

  • Pre-stretch film: Pre-stretched stretch film uses less material per pallet by being extended during manufacture rather than during application. Gauges in the range of 12–17 microns with pre-stretch ratios of 200–300% can achieve comparable load retention to thicker conventional films at lower material weight.
  • Reusable pallet systems: Closed-loop distribution networks — where pallets and pallet hoods travel between a fixed set of locations — can substitute reusable pallet wraps or containment nets for single-use stretch film on some product categories.
  • Paper-based pallet wrap: Paper-based alternatives to stretch film exist for some load stability applications, though their adoption in cold chain and outdoor storage applications remains limited by moisture performance.

LLDPE stretch film collected post-use at warehouse operations can be directed to flexible plastic film recycling streams, which are better established at the commercial level than at the residential level. Several plastic film recyclers operate in Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia, accepting commercial volumes of clean stretch film.

Cold Chain Packaging

Temperature-controlled distribution creates specific material challenges. Conventional cold chain packaging has relied heavily on EPS foam coolers and gel ice packs, both of which present end-of-life difficulties.

Alternatives being evaluated and adopted across the Canadian food and pharmaceutical distribution sector include:

  • Moulded pulp cooler liners: Pulp-based insulated liners use air pockets within a fibre matrix to provide thermal resistance. Performance varies by product and transit time; detailed thermal testing is required before specification.
  • Wool or cotton insulation pads: Natural fibre insulation pads are available as replacements for EPS panels in some temperature-sensitive applications. These materials are compostable, though their cost premium over EPS remains significant.
  • Plant-based gel packs: Gel packs using a starch-based gel inside a compostable film pouch are commercially available, though more expensive than conventional water-based polymer gel. Their acceptance in municipal composting programmes requires confirmation with the receiving facility.

Procurement and Supplier Verification

Businesses making sustainability claims about their supply chain packaging need to verify material specifications and end-of-life claims with suppliers rather than accepting generic assertions. Specific questions for packaging suppliers include:

  • What percentage of recycled content is used, and is it pre- or post-consumer?
  • What certifications apply to the material (FSC, PEFC for paper; BNQ, BPI for compostable)?
  • Is the material accepted in curbside programmes, and in which provinces?
  • What coatings, adhesives, or additives are present that might affect recyclability or compostability?

Third-party certifications provide one layer of verification, but they apply to the material as manufactured — not necessarily as configured in a specific packaging application. A paper corrugated case is recyclable, but the same case with a heavy wax coating is not. Material Data Sheets and product-specific test data provide more reliable information than generic material category claims.

Related Articles

For background on compostable packaging materials, see A Practical Guide to Biodegradable Packaging for Canadian Businesses. For recyclability by material category, see Recyclable Packaging Materials: What Canada's Provincial Programs Accept.

Last updated: May 25, 2026. Material performance data and programme availability reflect information current at time of writing. Supply chain packaging specifications should be verified with individual suppliers and relevant recycling programme administrators.