Cardboard Recycling

This is what typically happens to cardboard collected for recycling in NZ.

Too much cardboard is still being sent to landfills by waste companies. Cardboard is recyclable and should be made into new cardboard boxes and packaging. By recycling cardboard most businesses will reduce the cost of waste going to landfill, reduce landfill use, and ensure that an important resource is not wasted. Resources consist of Corrugated Cardboard (kraft) and Cores. These contain brown Kraft fibres.

Here is a breakdown of recyclables we can claim from cardboard waste:

Corrugated CARDBOARD (kraft) and Cores, these include all cores, corrugated cardboard/boxes or paper containing brown Kraft fibres. Nearly all cores are pre-consumer, nearly all corrugated cardboard or paper is post-consumer. Corrugated cardboard and paper cores typically come from carpet manufacturers, film manufacturers and printers. The types of products remanufactured include corrugated cardboard/boxes, egg trays, fruit trays and weed matting.

REELS/ROLLS are Cardboard tubes and all reels are pre-consumer. Waste typically comes from newsprint, paper, carpet tubes, classed as mixed paper from butt rolls, to full-size mill reels. Products types remanufactured include cardboard boxes or new rolls.

There is strong demand in New Zealand for kraft fibre from cardboard for remanufacture into various forms of packaging such as cardboard boxes, egg and fruit trays and weed matting.

Videos

Paper & Cardboard Recycling Process

This cartoon from Reclaim provides a simple overview of how cardboard and paper is collected and made into new products.