cardboard waste collection
How to recycle cardboard boxes

Cardboard Box Recycling

Many businesses use and throw away cardboard boxes daily. This commonly includes delivery boxes from online orders, empty food packaging boxes, and old storage boxes. Recycling cardboard boxes of any size and type is a sustainable and responsible way to dispose of them at the end of their life.

They’re one of the most common and recycled waste types, especially by offices, retail stores, manufacturers, restaurants, and companies in other industries. You can recycle most cardboard boxes with other waste cardboard materials as they’re all made from natural wood fibres. Recycling prevents them from going to landfill or for incineration.

Learn more about cardboard box recycling or book collection of cardboard from your business. Get a free no-obligation quote today – call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online.

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  • Any type of cardboard boxes
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How to get rid of 
cardboard boxes

To dispose of cardboard boxes they must be clean and dry. Remove any food, grease, glitter, plastic wrap, or any other contaminants where possible. If you have wet boxes then try to dry them out. Damp cardboard isn’t recyclable as it weakens the fibres, reducing their quality so they can’t be recycled.

Flatten the boxes to save space and put them in the relevant recycling bin. In workplaces and businesses, this should be either in a dedicated cardboard recycling bin or a dry mixed recycling bin. At home, you can normally place them in your household recycling bin or box that accepts cardboard.

Businesses must arrange commercial waste collection for old cardboard boxes. It’s a legal requirement in the UK that licensed waste carriers remove any commercial waste, which includes old cardboard boxes. At home, you can put them in your recycling bin or if you’ve got lots of old boxes then you could take them to your local household waste recycling centre (HWRC).

Another way to get rid of cardboard boxes is to donate them. Neighbours, charities, community groups, and other businesses may want some for storage, deliveries, and other uses, but only if they’re in good condition.

Cardboard box removal 
for businesses

Arrange cardboard box removal for your business anywhere in the UK whatever your industry. At Business Waste we can provide free bins for all your commercial cardboard waste, including any old cardboard boxes. There are no rental or delivery fees – you only cover the collection costs.

A wide range of bin sizes and types are available to store your old cardboard boxes in before collection. These include standard wheelie bins, big four-wheel bins, as well as compactors and balers to reduce the volume of old cardboard if your business generates lots of it.

Daily, weekly, and fortnightly removals are possible to suit your needs and for cost-effective management. All cardboard boxes are recycled and disposed of away from landfill after removal. You receive a free duty of care certificate that confirms the safe, legal, and responsible transportation and disposal.

Cardboard recycling FAQs
cardboard boxes piled on top of each other.

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How are cardboard boxes recycled?

Cardboard boxes are recycled in the same way as any other used cardboard. After bins are collected the boxes are transported to a nearby recycling facility. Here the general process to recycle cardboard boxes follows these steps:

  • Sorting – cardboard is sorted into boxboard, corrugated board, and different grades.
  • Shredding – it’s shredded into small pieces with water and chemicals sometimes added to form a pulp.
  • Filtering – contaminants like tape, adhesive, metal, plastic, and ink are removed via various filtering processes.
  • Mixing – some fresh pulp made from wood chips is normally mixed in to improve the quality with extra water introduced if required to get the right consistency.
  • Drying – it’s then rolled out and dried before being cut into sheets to create new cardboard products.

Recycle cardboard boxes 
with Business Waste

Recycle any type and number of old cardboard boxes from your business anywhere in the UK with Business Waste. We provide free bins to store all kinds of cardboard securely on your site before it’s collected, transported, and recycled. You only pay for collections with no bin hire or delivery charges.

A wide range of bins are available to use and store any cardboard materials together. Choose from daily, weekly, or fortnightly collections. All boxes are recycled, and you receive a free duty of care certificate for peace of mind. Get a free quote for cardboard collection – call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online.

Cardboard box recycling FAQs

  • Cardboard waste icon Can you recycle a pizza box?

    Many pizza boxes have recycling symbols on them and are made of corrugated cardboard, which is recyclable. In theory, this means you can recycle most pizza boxes. However, including cardboard pizza boxes contaminated with grease or food may mean they can’t be recycled.

    Grease, food, and water can weaken the cardboard fibres of pizza boxes, so they become of too poor a quality to be recycled. Make sure pizza boxes are clean and dry before including them with your cardboard recycling.

  • Cardboard waste icon Are Amazon boxes recyclable?

    Yes, most Amazon boxes are made from cardboard, which means they’re easy to recycle. If you receive an Amazon delivery at home you can put the empty box in your domestic recycling bin. At your workplace put old Amazon boxes in your commercial cardboard recycling bin. Remove any tape and flatten them to save space.

  • Cardboard waste icon How can you upcycle cardboard boxes?

    Rather than throwing away cardboard boxes in good condition, you could consider ways to reuse them and reduce cardboard waste in your business or home. These are a few ideas for ways to upcycle cardboard boxes:

    • Use them for storage – such as for office supplies
    • Line with plastic bags and turn them into planters
    • Make a pet bed by filling it with cushions
    • Reuse to box things up when moving
    • Package up any items you need to send out
  • Cardboard waste icon Should you flatten cardboard boxes before recycling them?

    It’s best to flatten cardboard boxes before recycling them as they’ll take up less space in your bin. This creates more space for other waste, so more rubbish is removed in one collection. You could also break up big and bulky boxes to reduce the volume of waste.

  • Cardboard waste icon Can you compost cardboard boxes?

    You can compost most cardboard boxes. This is because the wood fibres will break down naturally. The conditions and exact materials a cardboard box contains affect its biodegradability. It can take between two and eight months for cardboard boxes to decompose. You must remove any contaminants like tape, adhesive, and plastics before composting old cardboard boxes.

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Get a fast and free quote

Get a fast FREE quote for cardboard waste collection

  • Free quote within 1 hr
  • Any type of cardboard boxes
  • FREE bins and delivery
  • We cover all of the UK

Published 24th January 2025 by Graham Matthews.