How to make cardboard ready for recycling?
The eco-friendly way to dispose of cardboard starts with proper preparation. Here’s how to do it right.
The way to Recycle Cardboard
Cardboard and paper are valuable materials that can be reused many times when kept in good condition. Recycling cardboard is also the more sustainable choice, as producing new material requires significant amounts of water, chemicals, and most importantly, cutting down fresh trees.
By making sure your business sends its cardboard trash for recycling, you can help conserve energy and protect natural resources. As an added benefit, recycling also lowers your company’s waste disposal expenses.
Recycling of Cardboard Boxes: How to
Advantageously, have a centrally located collection area for your cardboard, so that you can dispose of it where the cardboard waste is generated.
At the same time, minimize the size of the cardboard boxes, as it is then much easier for collectors to handle the waste.
Should cardboard be cut before recycling?
Flattening cardboard boxes makes them much easier for recyclers to handle because they take up less room in recycling bins and collection trucks. For that reason, breaking down boxes is an important step in the process.
Use a box cutter, scissors, or a knife to cut away packaging labels, and be sure to remove any bubble wrap or packing peanuts before recycling.
Separate contaminated cardboard
Sorting your cardboard trash is essential to ensure that recycling collectors only pick up material that can actually be processed. Cardboard that is wet, greasy, or otherwise soiled cannot be recycled. Once your clean cardboard is sorted, you can place it into a cardboard baler to compress it into bales.
For a detailed breakdown of categorizing cardboard, check out our complete guide: What type of cardboard can go into a baler.
Turning Used Cardboard into New, Reusable Cardboard
Once you’ve produced clean, compacted bales of cardboard free from contamination, the next step is to next step is to find a local recycling company that will collect your recycled cardboard.. This ensures your cardboard trash is picked up on time and processed correctly.
When collected, the cardboard undergoes a sorting process at a recycling facility before being dispatched to manufacturing plants, where it is transformed into new cardboard. This regenerated material is then predominantly supplied to the packaging industry, thereby closing the loop in a truly exemplary demonstration of the circular economy in practice.
Further questions?
Reach out today to find out how Mil-tek can help your business cut costs, free up space, and save time by improving how you handle trash.
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