Cardboard has become so valuable these days, it’s even becoming an increasingly popular target for thieves!
In terms of recycling, there are two main types of cardboard: corrugated cardboard (e.g. packing boxes); and food and drink packaging (e.g. cereal boxes, egg cartons, cardboard sleeves etc). Cardboard can be recycled up to nine times and made into corrugated boxes, brown paper bags and cereal boxes.
Recycling cardboard doesn’t have to mean putting it straight in the appropriate bin. It’s a wonderfully versatile material which can be fun as well as useful. So we’ve put together our top tips on what to do with your old cardboard.
- Reuse – if you’re moving house, don’t buy moving boxes without asking around to see if anyone’s got some old ones you can have. If none of your friends have moved recently, join websites like Freecycle where people give away unwanted items.
- Pass it on – playgroups and nurseries will find old card useful for their arts and crafts projects.
- Storage – what would we do without the old cardboard box to keep things in? Make sure you write the contents on the box so you can easily see what’s in it.
- Toys – what do you get if you add a box to a child’s imagination? Whatever they want it to be! But if they need inspiration, check the internet for some great ideas.
- Toy boxes – cover a large box with wrapping paper and hey presto!, you’ve got yourself a cheap and cheerful toy box.
- Give it to the cat – cats love sitting in boxes! You can also give old cardboard to gerbils, hamsters, rabbits etc to gnaw on.
- Nurturing seedlings – fill old egg boxes with soil and plant a seed in each compartment. When the seedlings are ready for repotting, simply plant the lot. This not only saves you time and effort, it’s also less disruptive for the plant.
- Weed killer – lay cardboard on the ground to stop the weeds underneath from growing.
- Compost – egg boxes and other cardboard can be home composted.
- Or just recycle – make sure you remove all the tape and packing materials, and you can use a cardboard compactors to compact and separate the paper.
Furthermore, the cardboard baler will create separate bales of waste which are easier to recycle.
Are you looking for an efficient waste management solution for your business? Get in touch with us either by completing our quick contact form or giving the team a call on 01708 550641.
