PCR Paperboard Clears Safety Hurdle for Pharma & Food Secondary Packaging

Six months ago I wouldn’t have touched a carton with recycled fiber for any of our regulated products. The assumption was simple: reclaimed pulp can’t match virgin paperboard when it comes to low migration or odor control. Turns out that assumption needed an update.

Colbert Packaging just dropped test results for its One Clean Carton line — now offered with 30% post‑consumer recycled (PCR) content — and the data is cleaner than I expected. The samples passed independent lab testing for low migration, low odor, and low VOCs under accelerated (worst‑case) conditions. That’s enough to qualify for secondary packaging of pharmaceuticals and food products. For someone managing a mid‑six‑figure packaging budget, that changes the calculus.

The testing covered both the standard SBS board (Clearwater Candesce® C1S) and a version using Clearwater ReMagine® SBS with 30% PCR fiber. Both used agri‑based inks, water‑based coatings, and water‑based adhesives. An agri‑based offset printed “Instructions for Use” insert was glued inside each carton — also included in the testing. The lab measured extractables, volatile and semi‑volatile out‑gas products, and sensory odor. Every metric stayed within the thresholds required for indirect food and drug contact.

“Our customers tasked with sourcing safe and sustainable packaging have more options in choosing One Clean Carton with confidence,” said Ryan Hart, Colbert’s VP of sales and marketing. “This round of independent lab testing proved that paperboard containing PCR fiber meets the standards for clean, low migration, low odor, low VOC that is critical to secondary packaging for many healthcare and food products.”

From a procurement standpoint, what matters here is the combination of claims — sustainability plus clean‑ness. You can already find PCR‑containing board on the market, but most of it lacks published migration or odor data under worst‑case conditions. Colbert has been testing this concept since fall 2018, so the 2026 round isn’t a one‑off. They’re building a track record.

The PCR version uses Clearwater ReMagine®, which delivers 30% recycled content without mechanical pulp in the middle ply. Colbert says the board composition performs well on press, generating less waste and lower raw material consumption. That’s another indirect sustainability benefit — more efficient runs mean less solvent use, fewer press stops, and less scrap hitting the MRF.

Of course, no single material is a silver bullet. PCR paperboard still carries a slight premium over straight virgin board, and the supply of food‑grade recycled fiber can be tight. But if you’re under pressure to reduce virgin fiber consumption while keeping your packaging safe for regulated products, this is a solution that actually has the lab results to back it up. I’ll be reaching out to our converter to run a trial on one SKU later this quarter.