Around the world, the estimated production of cardboard is about 72 million tons annually, with the majority of it being used for packaging in commercial settings. So while cardboard might seem like a harmless piece of paperboard, corrugated waste actually contributes to a significant portion of industrial waste streams. In fact, about 56% of landfill waste is made up of paper and cardboard materials.
While you might think paper waste is “natural” and will just decompose over time, the process of decomposition in landfills actually releases methane gas, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.
This is why it’s important for businesses to consider ways to recycle their cardboard waste. Now that we’ve established why cardboard waste isn’t actually “harmless,” it’s time to dive into what exactly commercial cardboard recycling means for businesses.
What is Commercial Cardboard Recycling?
Commercial cardboard recycling refers to the process of collecting, sorting, and reprocessing used cardboard materials from businesses and commercial establishments. This includes any business that generates a significant amount of cardboard waste, such as retail stores, warehouses, offices, and restaurants.
Cardboard is a common material that is highly recyclable. Cardboard itself can be made from recycled material and it can be recycled many times into new cardboard.
Producing one ton of new cardboard requires 3 tons of wood, but thankfully, cardboard can be recycled back into itself. This process greatly reduces the amount of wood needed for new cardboard production. Therefore, rather than using entirely new wood, the recycled material is simply old cardboard. Recycled cardboard requires only a minimal amount of new wood, significantly less than if recycling were not an option. Additionally, cardboard recycling saves energy and resources, as well as decreases pollution levels.
Moreover, cardboard is easy to recycle because you don’t have to segregate cardboard based on specific types. If the cardboard material doesn’t have contaminants such as oil, grease, or wax, it can easily be recycled.
Understanding the Different Types of Cardboard
The two main types of cardboard are paperboard and corrugated cardboard. Corrugated cardboard is what you probably think of when it comes to cardboard. Often brown in color, this type consists of multiple flat and corrugated layers. Corrugated cardboard is stronger and thicker than paperboard.
Paperboard is usually gray in color and looks more like paper than corrugated cardboard. Often used for products such as cereal boxes, paperboard is thinner than corrugated cardboard, but thicker than writing paper. When the fibers in corrugated cardboard have been recycled so much that they are no longer strong enough for corrugated cardboard, they are then used to make paperboard.
Learn more about commercial cardboard recycling here at Evergreen Recycling Solutions.
The Step-by-Step Cardboard Recycling Process
Similar to other recyclable materials, cardboard is collected in commercial recycling bins at businesses. If your business has a large amount of cardboard waste, it can present a problem with the amount of space it takes up on your property, especially when there are other waste streams to be managed. This is where commercial cardboard recycling makes the most sense.
Step 1: Collection and Sorting
The first step in commercial cardboard recycling is collection. This can be done in various ways, including curbside pick-up or drop-off at a recycling center. At Evergreen, we can pick up your cardboard waste within 24 hours, or better yet, you can set up a recurring schedule with us for regular pick-ups.
Once collected, the cardboard is then sorted based on its type and quality. Cardboard that is contaminated with food residue or other materials may need to be discarded as it cannot be properly recycled.
Step 2: Baling and Transport
After sorting, the next step is baling cardboard. At this stage the cardboard is compacted into bales using specialized machinery. For many businesses in this situation, a baler is strongly considered. Baling reduces the amount of space cardboard waste takes up at your facility. Moreover, balers don’t just save you space, they also save your business money. The reason for this is that transportation costs can be a significant component of overall recycling cost. When a baler is used, the cardboard is more densely packed, which results in larger rebates for your business. The bales are then loaded onto trucks and transported to a recycling facility.
At Evergreen, we supply the balers, compactors, and trailers necessary for baling and transporting your cardboard waste. Our team of experts can help you determine the best equipment for your specific needs, taking into account factors such as volume of waste, available space, and budget.
Step 3: Pulping and Processing
During this part of the cardboard recycling process, the material is then transported to a paper mill. At the mill, the bales are sent through a pulping machine which breaks down the cardboard into small fibers. These fibers are then cleaned and screened to remove any contaminants such as staples or tape. The clean pulp is then mixed with water and chemicals to create a slurry, which is used to make new paper products. This process helps to save trees and reduce the need for raw materials in paper production.
Step 4: Manufacturing New Products
After the pulp has been processed, it is then ready to be made into new paper products. During this time, the pulp is pressed and dried to form sheets of paperboard. This material can be made into various products such as packaging materials, paper bags, or even new corrugated cardboard boxes. The recycled paper products are then sent to manufacturers, where they are used to contain new products for consumers. This not only promotes a circular economy but also reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.
Benefits of Commercial Cardboard Recycling
Commercial cardboard recycling offers undeniable benefits with no downsides. It’s a win-win for businesses, the environment, and the economy. By effectively recycling cardboard, businesses can:
- Save Money: Recycling cardboard can significantly reduce waste disposal costs and even generate revenue through rebates. It also eliminates the need to purchase new packaging materials, saving businesses money in the long run.
- Achieve Sustainability Goals: Many businesses have sustainability goals in place, and commercial cardboard recycling is an excellent way to contribute towards achieving them. By reducing the amount of waste that ends up in landfills, businesses can lower their carbon footprint and promote a more sustainable future.
- Make a Positive Environmental Impact: By participating in commercial cardboard recycling, businesses can play an active role in creating a more sustainable economy. Recycling cardboard helps to conserve natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and conserve energy. It also helps to protect wildlife habitats by reducing the need for raw materials used in paper production.
- Improve Brand Image: In today’s environmentally conscious society, consumers are more likely to support businesses that are actively working towards sustainability. By implementing a commercial cardboard recycling program, businesses can improve their brand image and attract eco-conscious customers.
Challenges in Commercial Cardboard Recycling
Despite the many benefits of commercial cardboard recycling, there are still challenges that businesses may face in implementing and maintaining a successful commercial cardboard recycling program.
For one, we all know that recycling is great for the planet, but many of us aren’t sure what actually belongs in the commercial recycling bin. This often leads to non-recyclable items like liquids and food residue getting into the recycling stream, which can contaminate recyclables and mess up the recycling machinery. And since staff are not usually properly educated by companies on what can be recycled, they just throw everything away and items that can be recycled end up in the regular trash.
When this happens, contamination of recyclables occurs and can actually make the entire batch unrecyclable. This not only causes additional waste, but it also increases costs for recycling facilities who have to sort through contaminated materials.
Another challenge that businesses face is market fluctuations. Supply and demand also works in the recycling industry and when demand for certain recyclable materials decreases, it can lead to a decrease in prices and make it less profitable for businesses to recycle. As an example, there has been a recent oversupply of cardboard due to an increase in online shopping and home deliveries.
Lastly, logistics and storage continue to be issues for large businesses when it comes to commercial cardboard recycling. Many businesses struggle with finding enough space to store all their recyclable materials before they can be picked up by a recycling company. This is especially true for companies that produce a high volume of cardboard waste, such as retailers or warehouses.
Fortunately, Evergreen Recycling offers regular pick up services for businesses to collect their recyclables directly from their location. This not only helps with storage issues, but also ensures that recyclable materials are properly disposed of and sent to the appropriate facilities.
In addition to this environmental benefit of using less wood to make cardboard, there is also a financial benefit for recycling cardboard. When you separate your cardboard from the rest of your waste, you save money on trash disposal costs. Moreover, depending on how much cardboard you recycle, you may be able to receive an extended rebate if it is baled.
Aside from the benefits mentioned above about fewer trips to pick-up your commercial paper waste, there is the benefit that the bales can be easily stacked and secured on a flatbed truck through the use of balers, allowing for efficient transportation to recycling facilities. Otherwise, a tractor trailer would need to be used, which would be more expensive to you. Though a tractor trailer can handle baled waste, a flatbed is preferred for stacked, baled waste.
Recycling cardboard is good for the environment and beneficial for your company’s finances. Since paperboard and corrugated cardboard are mostly made from recycled material, the number of trees that must be cut down to manufacture new cardboard is substantially reduced. Moreover, separating cardboard from other types of waste at your business will reduce your waste disposal costs.
The Role of Commercial Cardboard Recycling in Waste Management
The increased demand for online shopping has led to a rise in cardboard consumption, which has resulted in overflowing landfills and an overwhelming amount of waste that cannot be properly disposed of. So, without proper recycling measures in place, these waste materials could end up in the environment, causing harm to ecosystems and wildlife.
By choosing to implement commercial cardboard recycling programs, we hope that businesses will not only contribute to the efforts of reducing waste in landfills, but also take a proactive role in safeguarding our planet. As more manufacturers continue to integrate recycling programs in their business operations, we can collectively make a significant impact in preserving the environment for future generations.
Join our Commercial Cardboard Recycling Program today.
