How to Recycle Wasted Cardboard

Recycle wasted cardboard with these simple steps.

Cardboard is one of the most commonly recycled materials and is often integrated into municipal recycling programs. However, just putting cardboard in your recycling bin is not enough. Without proper preparation, cardboard meant for recycling actually can be re-routed to landfills, and will never make it to any post-consumer product. Luckily, preparing and recycling wasted cardboard is a simple process.

Instructions

1. Clear the wasted cardboard of all foreign materials. If you are are planning to recycle cardboard from a pizza box or other food container, clear the food using a rag or paper towel.

2. Break down large cardboard materials. If you are planning to recycle large cardboard boxes or structures, break down and cut up into pieces no larger than a square yard for processing through recycling facilities.

3. Put the wasted cardboard boxes in your municipal recycling bin. If you have a lot of cardboard, and it does not fit in the bin, you might need to take it to your local recycling facility, as recycling collection vehicles are not designed to handle excess amounts of material. See the "Resource" section for more information about finding a recycling center near you.

References

• Earth911.com: Tips on Recycling Cardboard
• Planet Ark: Cardboard Recycling

Resources

• Earth911.com: Recycling Center Search