Corrugated Cardboard Recycling

Old corrugated cardboard (OCC) represents a significant percentage of the commercial solid waste stream. In 1996, the U.S. generated 29 million tons of OCC (13.8% of the MSW generated). Approximately 90% of that comes from the commercial or non-residential sector. Studies have indicated that the amount generated varies with business type, size, activity, etc. and can represent 15% of the MSW generated in an office setting and as much as 40% or more in a retail establishment. OCC generation rates have been estimated as follows:

Business type and estimates of corrugated

By recycling your OCC, instead of discarding it you'll be:

1. conserving energy usage;
2. reducing the production of green house gases;
3. reducing the emissions of certain air pollutants such as hazardous air pollutants (HAP), Volatile organic chemicals (VOCs), and total reduced sulfur (TRS);
4. conserving water use;
5. conserving natural resources (it takes 3 tons of trees to produce one ton of virgin cardboard);
6. saving money on refuse tipping fees and
7. complying with Connecticut law. (Pursuant to 22a-241b of the Regulations of the Connecticut State Agencies, "cardboard" is a mandatory recyclable.)

The recycling of corrugated containers is easy and simple to implement. It involves: source separation from the refuse stream; preparation to minimize contamination and improve ease of handling; storage; and delivery to a paper processor or mill (see Fact Sheet on Waste Paper Recycling and Markets) to be recycled into various recycled paper products such as unbleached kraft paperboard, the center fluting of corrugated boxes, and recycled paperboard.

There are many possible methods for handling corrugated. At a minimum, storage facilities must be easily accessible to building maintenance personnel and haulers and must comply with fire codes. Corrugated boxes should be opened and flattened and contaminants removed before being placed in the storage container. A list of common contaminants is presented on the reverse side of this fact sheet. Remember, the cleaner the material, the more marketable it is.

Once the contaminants are removed, your system for handling the corrugated may be a simple as placing the loose flattened corrugated into a dumpster. Other options include manually bundling the corrugated, mechanically baling or compacting (large generators), or back-hauling the loose corrugated to a central distribution center for baling or compacting (for stores that are part of a chain). You can really get innovative and perhaps come up with a plan for smaller businesses picking up merchandise at wholesalers to back-haul their corrugated there for compaction or baling.