Cardboard Collection

There are a few steps for how to recycle cardboard:

• Collection – waste cardboard is collected by licensed waste carriers and transported to a nearby recycling centre.
• Sorting – the cardboard is sorted by grade and type before it’s recycled, as certain kinds of cardboard can only be converted into specific products.
• Shredding – after being separated by type the cardboard is shredded into small pieces.
• Pulping – these small pieces are soaked and mixed with water to soften them and turn the cardboard into a pulp.
• Filtering – any remaining contaminants such as labels and tape are filtered out.
• Mixing – further water is added for the right consistency. Chemicals might be included depending on the desired results.
• Pressing – it’s then rolled and pressed to squeeze out all the water.
• Cutting – after drying out the cardboard is cut into the desired size. It can be layered to form thicker cardboard and put in rolls for use as recycled cardboard.

When you have a large amount of cardboard to recycle and are a domestic customer, you can take it to your local recycling centre. If you’re a business with a big volume of waste cardboard, you need to use a registered waste carrier – especially for bulk cardboard recycling.

Talk to a specialised waste management company like Business Waste about your needs. One of our expert team can advise you on a range of cardboard collection, storage, legal and disposal options to help remove your large amount of cardboard waste, including baled cardboard rebates.

The first thing you should do before you recycle cardboard is to make sure it’s all clean and dry. Remove any contaminated items and set to one side as these will not be recyclable. Next, remove any excess tape from the cardboard – it’s not necessary to remove all of this as the recycling process will deal with it.

Flat pack cardboard as much as possible and store in a container that keeps it dry. If you have a large amount of cardboard, a Mill Size baler can help with storage – as can specific lidded containers and roll-off bins.

Tetra Paks are plastic coated cartons that commonly contain milk or juices. They’re made from 80% paper-based materials but also contain plastic and sometimes hidden metal. This means you can’t recycle them with normal single sheet or corrugated cardboard loads. However, we’re in partnership with a growing number of Tetra Pak recycling centres opening around the UK.

Many pizza boxes have recycling symbols on them and are made of corrugated cardboard. In theory, this means you can recycle most pizza boxes. However, including cardboard that’s tainted with grease or food in your load will be seen as a contaminant and render the load useless. Make sure pizza boxes are clean and dry before including with your cardboard recycling.

Generally, you can mix thin cardboard and paper for recycling as it’s made from similar fibres processed from trees. However, corrugated cardboard is usually recycled separately from paper due to its thicker and extra layers.

Different grades of cardboard can be recycled together providing the whole load is clean and dry and not contaminated with food, grease, or chemicals. Some wax-coated cardboards are biodegradable but not recyclable.

Only customers with regular volumes of waste cardboard measured in tonnes can potentially gain a rebate or warrant a free collection. Cardboard is a global market and prices experience large fluctuations. In 2022, cardboard recycling prices are between £105 and £125 per tonne.

To sell your cardboard, you need to ensure your load is free from contaminants like food, liquid, grease, or Styrofoam-type packaging. One of the most cost-effective ways to store cardboard for recycling is in bales. This also ensures a maximum financial return, as the cardboard is already in the format required at the recycling plant. You require a mechanical baler to store cardboard this way.

Learn more about cardboard rebates

Recycling commercial cardboard waste is the best thing you can do to save you money on disposal and landfill costs, while also helping the environment. Arrange collection and cardboard disposal by a registered waste carrier – ensuring you receive a duty of care certificate – for a safe, easy, and cost-effective way to get rid of your business’ cardboard waste.

Burning waste is only a good alternative if it provides an efficient fuel. Burning cardboard does not and it will release contaminants and gases into the environment. Many local authorities have regulations surrounding smokeless fuels and cardboard burning falls short of these. Recycle your cardboard waste rather than burning it to avoid wasting a reusable resource.

Yes, most Amazon boxes are made from cardboard, which means they’re easy to recycle. If you receive an Amazon delivery at home you can put the empty box in your domestic recycling bin, or at your workplace put it in your commercial cardboard recycling bin. Remove any tape and flatten them to save space.

Cardboard takes around two months to decompose when composted. How long carboard takes to decompose depends on the type and size of the sheets though, so sometimes it may take up to six or eighth months. Layering other compostable materials on top of the carboard and regularly turning it speeds up the process.