Cardboard is one of the most recyclable materials there is, and one of the bulkiest. Retailers, warehouses, restaurants, distribution centers, and even homeowners after a big move face the same problem: stacks of boxes that fill regular trash containers in no time. Fancy Dumpster Rentals offers cardboard recycling dumpsters in Mediapolis, IA that give this material its own path.
Dedicated containers that keep corrugated cardboard clean, dry, and on its way back to the paper mill.
In the recycling industry, used corrugated boxes are called OCC, short for old corrugated containers. Clean OCC is valuable feedstock for new paper products. Keeping it separate from trash reduces landfill volume and can lower disposal costs.
Keeping cardboard recyclable
Cardboard must be clean and dry to be recycled. Food-soiled boxes, like greasy pizza boxes, and wet cardboard are often rejected. Remove packing foam, plastic wrap, and other packaging before loading. Flatten boxes so they stack neatly and take up far less space than boxes tossed in whole.
Container options for cardboard
For businesses with steady volume, a recurring roll-off swap keeps cardboard moving on a schedule. For one-time projects like a store opening, a warehouse reorganization, or a big move, a single roll-off rental can handle a large volume of flattened boxes. Covered containers help keep rain off the load.
Tips for high-volume generators
Businesses that generate a lot of cardboard sometimes use balers to compress boxes into bales. Even without a baler, flattening boxes and loading them neatly makes a big difference. Train staff to keep trash out of the cardboard container, since contamination can reduce the value of the load or cause it to be treated as mixed waste.
Who uses cardboard recycling containers
- Retail stores and shopping centers
- Warehouses and distribution centers
- Restaurants with clean shipping boxes
- Manufacturers and shipping operations
- Store openings and resets
- Households after a big move
Dry, flattened cardboard with no trash mixed in is what recyclers want to see.
Common questions
- Can I put wet cardboard in the recycling dumpster?
- Wet cardboard is often rejected, so keep the load dry and use a covered container when possible.
- Do I need to flatten boxes?
- Yes. Flattened boxes take up far less space and are preferred by recyclers.
- Can I recycle pizza boxes?
- Clean portions can be recycled, but greasy or food-soiled cardboard usually cannot.