Paper & Card
Cardboard
boxes, cardboard boxes, corrugated cardboard, shipping boxes, packaging
Can you recycle?
Widely
Yes — cardboard is widely recycled. Keep it clean and dry, flatten boxes, and place them in your curbside recycling.
How to prepare
1. Empty the box and remove any plastic, polystyrene, or packing materials. 2. Remove large amounts of tape where you can. 3. Flatten boxes to save space. 4. Place clean, dry cardboard in your curbside recycling.
Common mistakes
Recycling greasy or food-soaked cardboard, like used pizza boxes — the grease contaminates the batch. Leaving boxes out in the rain so they get wet. Including plastic packaging or polystyrene inserts.
What happens after you recycle it?
Recycled cardboard is pulped and pressed into new boxes, packaging, and paperboard. Its fibers can be recycled several times before they wear out.
Drop-off guidance
Almost all curbside programs collect clean cardboard. For large amounts, recycling centers and cardboard banks take flattened boxes. Clean boxes can also be reused for moving and storage.
FAQs
Can I recycle cardboard?
Yes. Keep it clean and dry, flatten boxes, and put them in your curbside recycling — cardboard is one of the most widely accepted materials.
Where can I recycle cardboard near me?
Use the lookup above. Nearly all home collections take cardboard, and recycling centers accept larger amounts.
Is it free to recycle cardboard?
Yes. Curbside cardboard recycling is free to use.
Can I get paid to recycle cardboard?
Not for household amounts, but scrap dealers may pay for large, clean, baled volumes of cardboard.
