Cardboard ─ Recycling benefits
Recycling just one tonne of cardboard will save.
- 46 Gallons of oil saved - ultimately, that's 60 pounds less air pollution.
- Recycling cardboard could reduce energy consumption by 64 percent or almost 5,000 kWh per ton.
- 6.6 Million Btu's of energy saved.
- 9 Cubic yards less of landfill space used.
- 17 Trees - They absorb about 250 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air each year. If they were burned instead, those same trees would emit 1,500 pounds of CO2 back into the environment.
- 7000 Gallons of water are saved.
- Recycled cardboard saves 24% of the total energy needed for virgin cardboard.
What can I recycle
Cardboard boxes be flattened before collection. Ensure the cardboard is dry.
What can I NOT recycle
Pizza boxes and other food containers are often contaminated with grease. Cut off any clean portions of cardboard for recycling, and throw the rest in the trash. Grease from pizza boxes causes oil to form at the top of the slurry, and paper fibres cannot separate from oils during the pulping process.
Other cardboard items, such as juice containers, milk cartons, and some produce boxes, are coated with wax or similar substances.
Cardboard should be dry. If wet, it will not be accepted.
Remove tape, labels, and other items on the cardboard.
Take out any bubble wrap and other packing materials.
