Recycling is an essential process that helps reduce waste and conserve natural resources. It involves converting used materials into new products, lessening the need for raw materials. As our planet faces the consequences of overconsumption and pollution, the public is becoming more aware of the importance of recycling. Countless companies use cardboard boxes to store and ship items, but things can become problematic when business owners throw this material in the trash. Find out why industries should recycle cardboard boxes so that you can take action.
It Helps Our Planet
As many know, recycling materials is an easy way to give back to our earth. Doing this reduces the need for raw materials, which helps preserve natural resources. Recycling cardboard boxes helps our planet by:
- Saving trees
- Reducing carbon emissions
- Keeping waterways clean
- Wasting less landfill space
Each of these benefits is essential for a sustainable future. Trees are the lungs of our planet, and we reduce the need to cut them down to create new materials by recycling cardboard boxes. Creating new cardboard from recycled material also produces significantly lower carbon emissions than raw materials.
Saves Trees
Every year, manufacturers cut down countless trees to produce new cardboard. This leads to deforestation, which destroys natural habitats and reduces biodiversity. Moreover, disrupting an area’s ecosystem can have a detrimental impact on the animals and people living nearby.
Recycling boxes enables us to significantly reduce the need for this deforestation since manufacturers can repurpose existing cardboard. The more we reuse this material, the fewer trees we need to cut down, which keeps our planet green.
Wastes Less Landfill Space
Landfills continue to rapidly fill up with items we no longer need, and this presents a few problems. As space becomes increasingly limited in landfills, finding places for trash becomes a bigger challenge. Sometimes, this even leads to dumping waste in the ocean, threatening marine life.
Another issue with landfills is the time it takes for items to decompose. Cardboard can take anywhere from several months to years to break down; while this decomposition rate is faster than plastic, which takes decades to break down, it is still unideal.
Reduces Carbon Emissions
Cardboard production is a major contributor to CO2 emissions, a leading cause of global warming. When we consider CO2 emissions in relation to deforestation, the situation becomes even more dire. The more greenery we destroy, the fewer plants there are to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen.
Once in a landfill, decomposing cardboard continues to contribute to increased carbon emissions. Not only that, but as the material naturally breaks down, it releases methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas.
Recycling helps minimize these emissions, as producing items from recycled materials requires less energy than manufacturing them from new materials. By recycling cardboard, we can reduce our carbon footprint and help slow the pace of global warming.
Keeps Waterways Clean
Manufacturing new cardboard requires manufacturers to use thousands of gallons of fresh water when harvesting the wood pulp. However, recycling cardboard significantly reduces water pollution by decreasing the need for new material production. This helps keep our water clean and conserves water resources, a critical aspect in many parts of the world.
You’ll Boost Your Company’s Reputation
Your company’s reputation is crucial. By recycling cardboard boxes, you show that your organization values sustainability and is committed to eco-friendly practices. This can attract environmentally conscious customers and employees who align with your values, especially if your stance on the environment is well-known.
Additionally, recycling can enhance customer loyalty as consumers become more aware of the environmental impact of businesses. If you use recycled cardboard to ship items to customers, add that to your labeling as a way to make buyers more aware of your efforts.
Pro Tip
Go beyond writing “environmentally conscious” on your company website. Instead, show the number of boxes you’ve recycled and the resulting environmental impact.
You’ll Save Money
Recycling helps the environment while also saving your company money. You can decrease your purchasing costs by reducing the need for new materials. Additionally, some local governments even offer tax incentives or rebates to businesses that recycle, providing you with additional savings.
Selling Your Boxes
Another easy way to make money is by selling your wholesale supply of boxes to a container recycling company. Businesses such as United Container Company buy wholesale supplies of cardboard boxes and other shipping materials.
Implementing Recycling Strategies
Now that we’ve explained the reasons industries should recycle cardboard boxes, let’s get into some of the best ways you can make this a core company value.
Create a Company Plan
Make a company-wide plan outlining your organization’s goals and strategies. This can include setting up designated recycling bins throughout the workplace, encouraging employees to recycle at home, and providing information on correctly recycling materials.
Train Employees
Proper training is vital when it comes to successful recycling efforts. Educating employees on the importance of recycling and how to do it correctly ensures you effectively carry out your recycling plan. Consider implementing regular training sessions or workshops to keep your team informed and motivated.
Select a Recycling Method
Recycling boxes can be as simple as breaking them down and placing them in a designated recycling bin. However, other companies may repurpose or sell the containers. In the below sections, we’ve detailed the top options for recycling cardboard boxes.
Repurpose Containers
Instead of discarding cardboard boxes, consider repurposing them for storage or shipping items. This helps reduce waste and saves you money on purchasing new containers. If your company can’t repurpose the boxes, you can donate the container to a charity that will. Reach out to organizations in your community to see if they could put these materials to good use.
Contact a Box Recycling Company
If you have large quantities of cardboard, consider partnering with a recycling company to pick up and process these materials. This option simplifies the process and ensures the material gets reused. Usually, these companies accept boxes in new or gently used condition to resell them for other businesses to reuse.
Contact United Container Company
At United Container Company, you can sell corrugated boxes that your business no longer needs. We accept boxes in varying shapes and sizes so long as they’re still in like-new condition.
Make money by properly disposing of cardboard containers and save company space. We serve businesses in St. Joseph, MI, and the surrounding area in our efforts to keep communities beautiful.
