Have you been wondering what to do with all the cardboard boxes you have piling up in your garage? Instead of throwing them in the garbage, cardboard can often times be recycled and repurposed. Cardboard can actually be reused multiple times before it becomes unusable, which makes it a great item for recycling. Our center allows for cardboard recycling in New Jersey to encourage our community to increase all recycling efforts they can. However, there is a proper way to recycle your cardboard products. Here are a few things you should know about recycling your cardboard the right way.
When you recycle your cardboard, make sure that it stays dry. Keep it inside until your recycling is collected. This way, it will stay in optimal shape for reuse. Once the cardboard becomes wet, it can wilt and become saturated, which makes it much more difficult to recycle.
Before you recycle your cardboard boxes, take the time to flatten them. This will help conserve space for your recycling center and also make them easier to transport. When the boxes stay constructed, they also cannot fit in many of the recycling machinery associated with repurposing these materials.
Sometimes cardboard may come with plastic labels, tape, or other contaminants. These items should be removed from the cardboard before it can be recycled. Many recycling facilities have a difficult time removing all of these elements to make the cardboard reusable, and this can actually become a waste of your efforts.
Many people think they can recycle pizza boxes that are coated with grease stains. Actually, these cannot be recycled and should simply be thrown away. When you combine greasy cardboard with dry cardboard, it can also contaminate the rest of the recyclables, so be sure to store items strategically to increase recycling efforts.
Whenever you have paper, plastics, and other recyclables that you need to transport to your recycling center, consider using the cardboard box to move materials. This way, it also acts as a container. Instead of using plastic bags or other dangerous materials, you can actually use the cardboard box for yet another purpose to help increase recycling even more.
These are just a few tips to follow when you are recycling your cardboard so it can be used again and again. It is always important to contact your local recycling center to ask them about their cardboard policies. Make sure to follow the regulations they suggest so that you can increase your cardboard recycling in New Jersey and make an impact on your community. Contact us to hear about ways you can increase your recycling efforts today.
