The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than 24 million tons of corrugated cardboard is disposed of every year. Luckily, it’s also one of the most recycled materials, with nearly 91% of those 24 million tons being recycled.
Recycling cardboard is essential for conserving natural resources and reducing municipal solid waste. It reduces how much waste is sent to landfills and saves space at landfills as a result.
This has become even more important in recent years, as the amount of cardboard the world is consuming has increased dramatically. In 2022, for example, the global consumption of cardboard and paper was roughly 414.19 million metric tons. That’s an increase of just about 75% relative to levels recorded in 1990.
Cardboard recycling is actually a simple process, and any household, community and business can implement standard practices to ensure it’s done properly. Understanding the benefits of cardboard recycling, and the best practices for doing so, can help to maximize its effectiveness.
Below is a guide to bulk cardboard recycling, including tips and best practices.
Preparing Cardboard for Recycling
Consumers and businesses receive so many goods delivered right to them nowadays, and a majority of those goods are delivered in cardboard packaging. This results in an excessive amount of waste that needs to be disposed of.
Luckily, cardboard can be easily broken down. Breaking down these boxes not only makes them easier for businesses and consumers to handle, it makes it easier for the recycling process when it comes to sorting.
You can use a box cutter to break down the boxes and then flatten them, which will help you save space in recycling containers and make it all more efficient. Before recycling cardboard, you should also remove any tape or strapping from the boxes and any plastic bags or other materials that are inside.
It’s also essential that cardboard is clean for effective recycling. As such, you should remove any contamination such as residue from food. During this process, you should also remove any non-cardboard materials from the pile, which can include metal or plastic.
Sort your cardboard by type, which includes things such as file folders, cereal boxes and corrugated cardboard. This will help to ensure that it can be recycled properly.
It’s also a good idea to check your local recycling guidelines, and follow any specific instructions on what you need to do to prepare cardboard for recycling.
Understanding Corrugated Cardboard Recycling
Corrugated cardboard is one of the most common types of cardboard. Made of multiple paper layers, it’s heavy and sturdy material, which is why it’s used in shipping.
In addition to being so sturdy, one of the great advantages of using corrugated cardboard is that it can be recycled multiple times and not lose any of its quality. This is a major reason why recycling it is so important to conservation efforts.
With so much corrugated cardboard being used today — for not just shipping products but also packaging them and keeping them safe — ensuring that it is properly recycling is a key step toward a more sustainable future.
Best Practices for Bulk Cardboard Recycling
If you run a business that gets a lot of shipments, chances are that you have a lot of corrugated cardboard to deal with. While this is great from an environmental standpoint, as all of it can be reused, it does present some logistical challenges in the recycling prep stages.
Businesses should implement a cardboard recycling program that will help to reduce waste and increase efficiency. Part of this plan should be educating employees and also members of the community about the best practices of cardboard recycling, which will ensure success.
From an internal standpoint, it’s important to maximize the space that you have. Breaking down corrugated cardboard will help reduce the amount of space that it takes up before it’s picked up by your waste management company.
Using recycling bins or carts can also help you keep the cardboard organized as it waits for pickup. This will also help you reduce the size of the recycling containers you need to get, which in turn helps you reduce costs.
There are a few common mistakes that are made when recycling cardboard, and avoiding them will help you save money and headaches.
First, try not to contaminate the cardboard with any food waste or any non-cardboard materials. Also, make sure that the cardboard isn’t damaged or wet, as that can make the recycling process more difficult.
Avoid overloading recycling bins or carts, which can make it difficult to transport them from one location to another. And always ensure that you are following local regulations when it comes to recycling to avoid receiving a fine.
Benefits of Bulk Cardboard Recycling
There are many reasons why bulk cardboard recycling is so beneficial.
Above all else, doing so helps to reduce waste and conserve the precious natural resources that we have. The more cardboard that’s diverted from landfills, the less greenhouse gas emissions will be produced by the waste in those landfills.
When you make bulk cardboard recycling an essential practice in your business or community, you’ll be promoting sustainability and reducing your carbon footprint in the process.
From a financial standpoint, you’ll also be helping to increase efficiency and, as a result, reducing costs.
Implementing a Cardboard Recycling Program
If you’re thinking of implementing a cardboard recycling program, there are some steps you can take to do so effectively.
Tips for Businesses
At your business, a good first step is to assess your current cardboard waste volume. This will help you to identify any opportunities for recycling that you might be missing.
Next, develop a recycling program that’s tailored specifically to your business’ needs. This would include thinking about where to locate recycling bins or carts, best practices list on what to recycle and why, and steps for how the recycling should happen.
Then, educate your employees on the importance of recycling cardboard and what their role in the program should be. As with any project, it’s important to constantly monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of this program so that you can make changes as needed.
Tips for Communities
It’s also a great idea to create a community-wide recycling program that allows people to easily participate. A good first step here is to provide outreach and education to community members so they understand why cardboard recycling is so important and what steps they should take to get started.
Next, make it as convenient as possible for people to recycle cardboard. Consider implementing a curbside recycling program and/or add drop-off locations where people can transport their used cardboard.
Again, constantly monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the program so you make adjustments where needed.
Cardboard Recycling is Essential for a Sustainable Future
There are many ways to “go green,” and recycling cardboard is one of the easiest and most effective first steps. Bulk cardboard recycling, in fact, is an essential practice for reducing waste and promoting sustainability, whether you’re running a business or are the leader of a community.
By following best practices and avoiding common mistakes, businesses and communities can maximize the effectiveness of their cardboard recycling programs.
These programs are important steps toward reducing waste, promoting a more sustainable future and conserving earth’s precious natural resources.
