Your Guide to Cardboard Recycling and Types of Cardboard
Everyone knows when it comes to kids, the best part of a gift isn’t the gift itself, but the cardboard box it came in. A simple box can be magically transformed into a drive-in movie car or a pop-up grocery store. If cardboard castles aren’t your thing, try recycling the boxes instead.
There can be some misunderstanding about what types of cardboard can be recycled. Fortunately, unlike some other items, recycling cardboard is pretty straight forward. It can all be recycled. It is a high-quality material capable of being recycled multiple times. Recycling boxes also reduces processing pollution by 95% because the fiber has already been processed.
There are two types of cardboard and both are recyclable.
Corrugated Cardboard
This is thick cardboard with an extra layer of wavy fiber in between sheets. The extra layer makes it stronger and a great option for shipping or packing boxes. Nearly 81% of corrugated cardboard is recycled. Any size, shape or color cardboard can be recycled.
Paperboard or Chipboard
Each time we recycle corrugated cardboard, the fibers holding it together get a little bit shorter. The result is the cardboard gets slightly thinner each time we recycle it. When the fibers become too thin to create strong corrugated cardboard, they are then used for a class of cardboard called paperboard. Paperboard or chipboard boxes are used for cereal boxes, cake mix boxes and cases of pop.
Clean and Dry Cardboard Only
As long as your cardboard and paperboard is clean and dry, it should be placed in your recycle bin. Wet or greasy cardboard like pizza boxes or fast food boxes are considered a contaminate and belong in the garbage. Wet or contaminated items can jam sorting equipment and ruin good, clean material. To get the most out of your curbside program, be sure to remove any plastic packaging or bags from your boxes. It’s a good idea to flatten your boxes to make more room in your bin for other recyclables.
Recycling cardboard is as simple as it gets. When you stick to the basics of recycling, the future of curbside recycling programs remains strong for generations to come.
