ATLANTA (News release) -- Mountaire Farms, the nation's fourth largest poultry processor in the U.S., has a lot to be proud of when it comes to sustainable packaging.

As part of its initiative to help customers meet environmental and sustainability goals, leading packaging company DS Smith has provided Mountaire with a unique corrugated shipping container made from its propriety Greencoat material: a wax-free, 100% recyclable coated and food contact safe alternative to wax coated boxes.

"DS Smith's Greencoat boxes have helped Mountaire meet our growing customer demand while offering the best possible solution for recyclable boxes," said Catherine M. Bassett, Director of Communications and Community Relations for Mountaire Farms. "We're proud to use a product that is fully recyclable and biodegradable while still holding up to the harsh conditions of the supply chain."

In 2021, Mountaire Farms has used the recyclable DS Smith Greencoat box to replace nearly 87,766 tons of wax coated containers that would have otherwise gone to landfills. This saved 205,254 tons of greenhouse gasses from being emitted and sets the brand up to achieve the conservation of more than 2 million tons of greenhouse gasses in the next 10 years with the same rate of replacement.

That's enough to offset emissions from 432,110 vehicles, more than 1.5 million barrels of oil and the energy spent by 78,870 households every year.

"Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and we constantly strive to find new ways to help our customers reach their environmental goals," said Melanie Galloway, vice president of sales, marketing and innovation for DS Smith packaging North America. "Our longstanding partnership providing Mountaire with sustainable alternative packaging is a testament to the benefits of the work we do every day."

The sustainable wax alternative coating provides a safe and leak-proof shipping method for the poultry, produce and seafood industries in the U.S. and worldwide. The fully recyclable material is being used as part of a $140 M R+D investment made by DS Smith to continue innovation in sustainable packaging, including in grocery and retail applications.

DS Smith's purpose is to "Redefine Packaging for a Changing World," and as part of its recently launched "Now and Next Sustainability Strategy" and commitment to the circular economy, the company by 2030 will use packaging and recycling to replace problem plastics, reduce customer carbon and eliminate consumer packaging waste.