Can i recycle cardboard boxes

Please check with your hauler to confirm what types of paper should be collected together in your program. Once picked up from the business or institution, this material is hauled to a facility where it is sorted and baled. The baled cardboard is then ready to be shipped to paper mills domestically and internationally for recycling into new paper products. There are local markets in Massachusetts where the entire process takes place.

Trucks deliver loads of old corrugated cardboard, the material is inspected, pulped, rolled into sheets, corrugated, glued into new sheets, and cut into shape ready for market.

Recycled cardboard is a high-quality material that can be used as packaging materials and boxes, and cardboard can be recycled many times without losing its strength. Corrugated cardboard containers that get used for shipping have a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content.

Empty pizza boxes can typically be recycled, even if they contain grease. Remove all food, pizza savers pizza tables , and liners. Liners and pizza savers should go in the trash, and any remaining food scraps should be composted or put in the trash. Waxed cardboard is commonly used in supermarkets, restaurants, and other food service businesses for products like ice-packed produce and meat, because the wax protects the cardboard from becoming soggy and breaking down.

Unfortunately, this helpful feature also makes waxed cardboard unacceptable for recycling. Depending on the material characteristics and quantity, waxed cardboard can be composted or made into other products.

Username or Email Address. If you compost, cardboard can be used in your compost pile. It can also be used to line garden beds or as mulch for weed control. And, of course, you can reuse boxes for shipping or storage. Actively scan device characteristics for identification.

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Featured Video. Read More. The first step in recycling cardboard is to separate it from other paper, such as office paper and newspaper. Then, any ink and tape is removed and the paper fibers start bonding together. Finally, the fibers are rolled and dried, then sent off to make new products. Over half of corrugated cardboard is recycled into new cardboard; the remainder is downcycled into paperboard and other paper products. So, if you work at a place that uses a lot of cardboard, such as a retail store or restaurant, you should contact a local mill to arrange a partnership.

Skip to content. How to Recycle Cardboard. Why Recycle Cardboard Over half of the cardboard collected is used to make new cardboard boxes, and additional cardboard can be downcycled into paperboard used for cereal boxes or chipboard used for shoeboxes Making 1 ton of virgin cardboard requires 3 tons of trees Recycling 1 ton of cardboard eliminates 9 cubic yards of landfill space Find Recycling Guides for Other Materials Frequent Cardboard Recycling Questions Can I recycle cardboard boxes in my curbside recycling program?

Do I need to remove tape and labels from the box? These materials get filtered out during the recycling process, as does ink.