How to Correctly Dispose of Cardboard Waste
Cardboard is very handy. It’s light, relatively strong and can easily be formed into any number of useful shapes, such as cardboard boxes, food packaging, toys and even furniture! But what do we do with used cardboard boxes and other cardboard creations when we’re finished with them?
Paper and cardboard are one of the most common forms of commercial waste in the UK, accounting for 4.7 million tonnes annually, according to DEFRA figures on waste disposal, not to mention the vast quantities that are generated by us at home. That’s a lot of cardboard, so managing waste disposal can be quite a challenge.
Domestic cardboard disposal and waste paper recycling is easy to handle from home. Most councils provide separate bins for cardboard and other recyclable materials which are collected fortnightly or monthly with no questions asked. Failing that, we can deposit cardboard at our local waste disposal centre with no charge. Commercial cardboard waste disposal is a more difficult matter, involving specialist equipment, such as a cardboard baler machine and regular, paid-for collections.
Is cardboard recyclable?
Latest UK figures indicate that 79% of paper and used cardboard boxes are recycled, which is well above the EU’s minimum recommended recovery target of 60%. This is no doubt due to the UK’s excellent nationwide waste paper recycling facilities, and investment in tools to help us find local recycling options. With limited home-grown capacity, some cardboard is sent abroad for recycling, to countries such as China, India and Vietnam, where the large manufacturing sectors provide a huge demand for cardboard packaging.
The process of cardboard and waste paper recycling is fairly simple. Providing it is dry and uncontaminated, different grades of cardboard can be recycled together, requiring minimum sorting. Crushing cardboard boxes or using a cardboard shredder creates tiny pieces that are mixed with water and chemicals to form a pulp. The cleaned pulp is dried and pressed to form long sheets which are then cut or rolled, ready to be given a second life.
What’s the best way to recycle used cardboard boxes?
Large retailers and manufacturers can find their premises swamped with used cardboard boxes and packaging that requires expensive and frequent commercial waste disposal services. Whether your cardboard packaging waste is recycled in the UK or abroad, you’ll still need help to get it to the recycling plant. In many cases, this involves manual squashing of cardboard into skips or bins, causing physical risk to employees and untidy premises.
A cardboard baler machine is a straightforward way to more economically store waste packaging without the need for a skip or use of a cardboard shredder. Used cardboard boxes and cardboard packing are deposited in the baler and compacted by a hydraulic ram with simple push button operation. A range of cardboard baler options are available, depending on your requirements, from the entry level, compact V-press 504, capable of baling up to 60kg of cardboard and waste paper recycling; to the impressive V-Press 1160 Plus that can compact over half a tonne of waste cardboard packaging into one bale.
Taking up less room than a skip, a cardboard baler machine creates tidy, strapped bales which can be neatly stored, thereby saving space, reducing the volume of waste collection and lowering the costs of cardboard disposal.
Why is waste paper recycling better than commercial waste disposal?
Using a cardboard baler machine to prepare used cardboard boxes for recycling not only allows better utilisation of space, it also removes trip hazards and the potential for vermin infestation. Choose an experienced waste handling solutions company such as phs Wastekit to supply and maintain your cardboard baler, and in doing so, we’ll help your business to adhere to Health and Safety legislation and Waste Management regulations.
Cardboard and waste paper recycling saves the payment of Landfill Tax associated with commercial waste disposal and means that your business can complete some of its environmental commitments and Corporate Social Responsibility policies. Which is all so much better than sending used cardboard boxes to the tip!
Not only is cardboard recyclable, but a cardboard baler machine will help to keep all those used cardboard boxes tidy and make them easier to transport. Better for your business, better for your staff and better for the environment. Change the way you deal with cardboard disposal today by getting in touch with phs Wastekit.