It’s common knowledge that businesses produce large amounts of various types of waste, with plastic packaging being the most talked about waste product of them all due to its ubiquity, quantity and, most importantly, the damaging effects it has on the environment. While plastics are being demonised, other waste materials like cardboard are usually left off the hook or are largely ignored.
Cardboard is generally regarded as one of the most sustainable packaging options because it’s made from natural and renewable resources, it’s biodegradable and highly recyclable. Apart from its eco-friendly credentials, cardboard is also extremely versatile and easy to manipulate, being used widely across a range of different industries from transportation and manufacturing to food or construction. However, we have to look at both sides of the coin and take into account the undesirable consequences produced by cardboard waste.
Negative environmental effects of cardboard waste
Although cardboard packaging provides many benefits and is without a doubt kinder to the environment than many other materials (most countries recycle up to 85% of all cardboard waste), it still poses an issue to businesses around the world. Not only does cardboard waste continue to increase at a global scale with the rising trend of online shopping and changing packaging and shipping demands, but there are also negative effects related to its production, usage and disposal.
First of all, new cardboard is mainly made of paper fibres sourced from wood pulp. It is estimated that one ton of new cardboard requires approximately three tons of wood, so intense cardboard production represents a danger to the world’s natural resources, leading to deforestation, forest degradation and the destruction of the surrounding habitat and wildlife.
One can argue that most cardboard is made from recycled materials, but with the global demand for cardboard packaging increasing and recycled items only being able to cover a certain percentage of cardboard manufacturing, more trees need to be cut down to keep up with consumption. Also, planting new trees only solves part of the problem since, at the current rate, forests are used faster than they can be replenished.
Apart from deforestation, a considerable percentage of cardboard waste ends up in landfill due to contamination or lack of proper recycling practices. Almost 800 million tons of paper and cardboard are sent to landfill every year in the U.S. alone. With the world’s landfills already running out of space and being a massive source of pollution, the increasing amount of cardboard waste releasing methane into the atmosphere only aggravates these issues.
Then there’s also the problem of greenhouse gas emissions stemming from the transportation of cardboard waste. Since cardboard is heavier and bulkier than other materials such as plastic, it takes more fuel to transport it which increases its carbon footprint.
Businesses that need to ramp up their cardboard waste management efforts
Ideally, all businesses big and small and across all industries should make an effort to improve their cardboard waste management practices. However, the companies that produce the largest amounts of cardboard waste are the ones that should make this a priority. These include:
- Retailers – given the large number of goods that they store and ship to their customers using cardboard packaging, retailers inevitably generate considerable quantities of cardboard waste, so they need a proper waste management system in place to deal with it.
- Restaurants and food catering businesses – these businesses handle daily shipments of fresh produce often delivered in cardboard boxes, which makes waste management crucial for the smooth running of their operations.
- Distribution companies – being in the business of transporting goods from one place to another means that cardboard packaging plays an important role in the equation, as does cardboard disposal.
- Wholesalers – wholesale shipping ale requires the use of cardboard boxes, meaning that these companies are often overwhelmed with the volume of cardboard waste they need to handle.
Solutions for cardboard waste management
Since cardboard waste is inevitable for most businesses and especially for the ones listed above, finding effective ways to properly manage and dispose of cardboard is a must. Fortunately, businesses have several solutions at their disposal that can make a positive difference in this respect.
Reusing and recycling cardboard can considerably cut down the amount of waste produced by companies and organisations, reducing the negative impact on the environment and lowering costs for waste disposal. Companies can set up recycling stations on-site to dispose of used cardboard by investing in a compactor or baler. A baler is a cardboard machinery that crushes voluminous cardboard waste into compact bales that are easier to store and move around and can then be sold and transported to recycling facilities.
Businesses can also partner up with waste management companies that can come to their premises and collect the waste materials themselves. Usually, these companies provide a bin or container for the waste products that will be picked up regularly.
Smaller companies that produce less cardboard waste and often lack the budget to hire cardboard collection providers can do the heavy lifting themselves and take their waste to a local recycling facility using their own equipment.
Last but not least, businesses also have the possibility to contact organisations in their area that accept cardboard donations. There are numerous institutions and facilities such as schools or NGOs or local associations that might benefit from these donations, so getting in touch with them can be a win-win.
Final Thoughts
Cardboard might be superior to other packaging materials, but that shouldn’t make businesses oblivious to its shortcomings. Given its popularity and widespread use, cardboard waste has become a growing concern for environmentalists in recent years.
So, rather than ignoring this problem, businesses need to reconsider their waste management practices and focus on recycling and reusing cardboard products as much as possible. Exploring different recycling solutions, using the right equipment and partnering up with waste management professionals can help companies address this issue and boost their sustainability in the long run.