How Much Does Cardboard Recycling Pay?

Recycling cardboard can offer a financial return, particularly for businesses or individuals with significant quantities. While residential curbside recycling typically doesn’t provide direct payments, revenue can be generated from cardboard waste. Understanding its value factors and proper preparation can transform waste into income.

Factors Influencing Payment for Cardboard

The value of recyclable cardboard depends on several variables within the commodity market. Old Corrugated Containers (OCC), the sturdy boxes used for shipping, generally command the highest value. Their strong fibers make them desirable for remanufacturing. Other types, like paperboard from cereal boxes, may have lower or no direct payment value.

The condition and quality of cardboard significantly impact its price. Contamination, such as food waste, grease, liquids, or non-paper attachments like plastic liners or wax coatings, can drastically reduce value or lead to rejection. Wet or soiled cardboard degrades material quality. Maintaining clean, dry cardboard is essential for maximizing its worth.

Volume plays a crucial role in pricing, with larger quantities fetching higher per-ton rates. Businesses generating baled cardboard, compacted into dense blocks, often receive better prices than those selling loose boxes, due to economies of scale in processing and transportation. Market prices for cardboard fluctuate based on global supply and demand, with baled OCC ranging from $40 to $120 per ton. Geographic location also influences pricing due to regional demand and transportation costs.

Where to Sell Recyclable Cardboard

Commercial recycling centers and scrap yards often buy cardboard in bulk. These facilities offer competitive rates for well-prepared cardboard.

Paper brokers and dealers acquire large volumes of cardboard from businesses and sell it to paper mills. They typically work with industrial or commercial generators, often requiring baled material and minimum tonnage. Brokers are beneficial for consistent, high-volume cardboard generators.

Some communities or private companies operate buy-back centers that accept cardboard for a small payment. These centers can be an option for individuals with smaller quantities, though less common for cardboard than aluminum cans. Contact local centers to confirm their acceptance policies and current payment rates.

Preparing Cardboard for Sale

Cardboard must be clean and dry, free from food residue, grease, or liquids. For example, pizza boxes with significant grease stains are not accepted, as contaminants can spoil an entire batch. Remove plastic liners, packing peanuts, or other non-cardboard inserts.

Flatten cardboard boxes. This reduces the material’s volume, making it more efficient to store, transport, and process. Flattened cardboard allows for denser loads, which can lead to better payment rates and reduced transportation costs.

Remove non-cardboard materials like excessive tape, labels, plastic wrap, and foam inserts. For larger quantities, bundling or baling the cardboard is recommended. Baling compacts cardboard into dense, uniform blocks, making handling and weighing easier for buyers. This often results in higher payment rates due to increased efficiency.