Glossary

Raw materials are considered renewable when they come from sources that are naturally replenished within a human timescale (an average human lifetime), in contrast to fossil oil, which takes millions of years to form. Examples include materials made from wood fibers (paper and cardboard) or plastics derived from sugars in sugarcane or sugar beet. The term ‘renewable resource’ is often used alongside ‘biobased packaging material’; see also the concept of ‘biobased packaging material.’ Not all materials made from renewable resources are inherently biodegradable.