FedEx/CBU Recycled Cardboard Study: FedEx and some of their customers are seeing a rise in punctures and tears in corrugated boxes. FedEx asked CBU to study this in a senior project. The use of recycled cardboard has gained wide acceptance in the packaging industry where sustainability has become a priority of consumers. However, recycling cardboard can have a negative impact on the strength properties of the material. Study was published in their international journal of packaging. Three tests were conducted to determine the strength of virgin and recycled cardboard: edge crush test, burst test, and compression test. Samples tested at two conditions, 73F/50% relative humidity, and 90F/90% relative humidity. Virgin cardboard tested stronger than recycled cardboard in every test, despite identical industrial strength listings. In extreme conditions, the difference between recycled and virgin cardboard increases. Report Errors: -Date of study not indicated -“Virgin” material was actually 70% virgin and 30% recovered content

Key Discussion Points and Decisions made in 3.1: –FedEx study confirmed team suspicion that striving for higher % recovered content will have adverse affect on packaging performance Recycled fibers are shorter, and degrade performance As paper is recycled multiple times, the fibers become even shorter –Significant increase in weight and cost of servers requires careful consideration of how to assure product protection HPE DL580 G9 weighs 117 lb HPE DL580 G9 cost – up to $60k –At higher recycled content rates, compensations would have to be made, in the form of heavier or thicker paperboard, which conflict with the goal of a positive environmental outcome –Team agreed to reduce the scope from several types of packaging, to just corrugated. Not all types from the table are used in server packaging. – Definitions for pre and post-consumer are described in the definition for “recovered content”, therefore specific definitions for each are unnecessary.

EPA Goals: – EPA's Recommended Recovered Fiber Content Levels for Paperboard and Packaging Products Product Postconsumer Fiber (%) Total Recovered Fiber (%) Corrugated containers: ¹ - (<300 psi) (300 psi)25-30 Solid Fiber Boxes40 Folding Cartons ² Industrial paperboard (e.g., tubes, cores, drums, and cans) Miscellaneous (e.g., pad backs, covered binders, book covers, mailing tubes, protective packaging) Padded mailers5-15 Carrierboard ³ Brown papers (e.g., wrapping paper and bags)

Definition of “recovered fiber” from : recovered fiber: Postconsumer fiber such as paper, paperboard, and fibrous materials from retail stores, office buildings, homes, and so forth, after they have passed through their end-usage as a consumer item, including used corrugated boxes, old newspapers and magazines, mixed waste paper, tabulating cards, and used cordage; and all paper, paperboard, and fibrous materials that enter and are collected from municipal solid waste, and manufacturing wastes such as dry paper and paperboard waste generated after completion of the papermaking process (that is, those manufacturing operations up to and including the cutting and trimming of the paper machine reel into smaller rolls or rough sheets) including, envelope cuttings, bindery trimmings, and other paper and paperboard waste resulting from printing, cutting, forming, and other converting operations; bag, box, and carton manufacturing wastes; and butt rolls, mill wrappers, and rejected unused stock; and re-pulped finished paper and paperboard from obsolete inventories of paper and paperboard manufacturers, merchants, wholesalers, dealers, printers, converters, or others. Mill broke means any paper waste generated in a paper mill prior to completion of the papermaking process. It is usually returned directly to the pulping process. Mill broke is excluded from the definition of recovered fiber.