staff Embracing commercial cardboard recycling is good for the environment, saves businesses hefty landfill fees, and boosts their reputation among eco-conscious customers. But the benefits don’t stop there.
Corrugated fiberboard is a thick material used for shipping and product packaging. It’s also recyclable, as is paperboard, a light, softer material used for cereal boxes, shoeboxes, and greeting cards.
It’s Eco-Friendly
More than 90% of products shipped in the United States come in cardboard boxes; fortunately, this packaging can be recycled. Cardboard and its cousin paper board are made from wood pulp, making them eco-friendly materials.
Using eco-friendly cardboard can help businesses reduce their carbon footprint and attract environmentally conscious consumers. Using eco-friendly cardboard also allows companies to comply with local waste regulations and save money on disposal costs. Additionally, it can increase brand trust and loyalty among customers.
Recycling cardboard helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the amount of methane and carbon dioxide released when it decomposes in landfills. This is important for the environment and our planet’s climate.
In addition, recycling cardboard and other paper products conserves natural resources that could be used to make virgin material. Cycling corrugated cardboard requires a lot of energy, which is reduced by using recycled materials. In addition, using recycled cardboard saves much water compared to making it from new materials.
Moreover, harvesting the wood needed to make cardboard contributes to deforestation, which has numerous damaging environmental impacts. Losing trees reduces habitat for critters, causing soil erosion and water pollution. Using recycled cardboard helps prevent the loss of these vital trees. On average, each ton of cardboard saved through recycling can save 12-31 trees.
It’s Cost-Effective
Many companies choose to use recyclable cardboard packaging because it is cost-efficient for them to do so. Cardboard recycling is an excellent way to reduce overall waste from the company’s operations and helps them comply with local regulations regarding business trash disposal and recycling.
By embracing eco-friendly cardboard packaging, companies can differentiate themselves from their competitors and create a brand identity that appeals to consumers who value sustainability. Additionally, many customers appreciate businesses that offer sustainable packaging options and are willing to spend more money on products from those brands.
Using recycled cardboard paper for shipping can help the environment by reducing carbon dioxide and methane emissions from landfills that pollute our air. It can also help conserve natural resources by reducing the need to cut down more trees for new cardboard paper.
One ton of recycled cardboard can save 17 trees that would otherwise need to be cut down. Keeping cardboard out of landfills can also minimize the amount of toxic chemicals leached into the groundwater and surrounding ecosystem from untreated waste materials.
These chemicals can have devastating effects on wildlife and the water supply. Additionally, landfills are often located in marginalized communities, so limiting the impact of landfills on these communities is an essential goal for environmentally conscious businesses to pursue.
It’s Space Optimizing
As any homeowner knows, a barrage of cardboard packages comes to your door around the holidays. Whether you’re treating yourself to free rushed shipping from online purchases or your company is sending out samples to new clients, the boxes can pile up.
Thankfully, most of them can be recycled. As you may have learned, a big part of the green movement is embracing the “three R’s”: reduce, reuse, and recycle. And when it comes to reducing packaging waste, cardboard is one of the most accessible materials to recycle. Cardboard is a natural resource, and its recyclability helps conserve natural resources by limiting the need to cut down trees to produce virgin materials.
Every ton of cardboard recycled saves 17 trees. Aside from the environment, recycling cardboard saves a significant amount of energy. This is because creating virgin materials requires a lot of energy. Increasing cardboard recycling rates drastically reduces the energy used to make new products.
Of course, a business’s commitment to sustainability shouldn’t end at recycling cardboard boxes. To be eco-friendly, your business should also seek sustainable materials for its product and service offerings. For example, branding with sustainable materials like eco-friendly paper is a great way to distinguish yourself from competitors and create a strong brand image among consumers who value sustainability.
It’s Money Savings
Cardboard is a strong and sturdy material that can protect products during shipping. This reduces the likelihood of damages or returns, saving money on replacement costs and ensuring you can offer customers a safe delivery experience.
When purchasing cardboard, it is best to opt for recycled options. This means that it has been used once before and can be purchased at a cheaper rate than virgin cardboard. When recycled, cardboard is turned back into pulp and used to make new products like paper bags, tissue papers, and more.
This helps save the environment by reducing deforestation and using less natural resources. Recycling cardboard also requires less energy than creating it from raw materials, which can help reduce your company’s carbon footprint. This is important because consumers increasingly look for environmentally friendly businesses when buying products online.
In addition to this, you can also repurpose cardboard boxes into storage units, organizers for messy desks, and more by adding linen lines or other materials. You could even offer your customers ideas for repurposing their packaging when it’s no longer needed so that they can get the most out of it before recycling. This can boost customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. It can also encourage customers to recommend your business to friends and family.
