6 Reasons Businesses Should Stop Throwing Away Their Cardboard

Waste laws in England in 2026 prevent businesses throwing away clean cardboard in general waste bins. Instead they must recycle or repurpose it to prevent fines. Luckily there are also many other commercial advantages for businesses who do not throw away cardboard including reduced disposal costs and opportunities to save money on packaging.

In this article, we’ll highlight six reasons why businesses should stop throwing away cardboard and provide you with some handy tips to get started. 

Is Cardboard Eco-Friendly? 

Cardboard is considered more eco-friendly than other popular packaging materials such as plastic. Cardboard is made from wood pulp, the same source material as paper, but it's typically thicker and sturdier. The green credentials of cardboard are: 

• Recyclable – As cardboard is made from natural fibres, it’s easily recyclable.  

• Renewable – The raw material for cardboard is trees, which are renewable.  

• Biodegradable – Wood pulp decomposes in a matter of months if it hasn’t been coated in chemicals.  

It takes a considerable amount of energy to manufacture new paper or cardboard evidenced by research estimating that the paper industry contributes around 2% of the world’s total carbon footprint. For this reason it's important for the planet that businesses in the UK reduce, repurpose and recycle as much cardboard packaging as possible.

Should BUSINESSES IN ENGLAND Recycle Cardboard? 

Data published in 2021 demonstrated that 70.6% of paper and cardboard packaging was recycled in the UK.  New recycling legislation introduced in England during 2025 made it mandatory for businesses with 10 or more full time employees to recycle cardboard therefore the percentage of cardboard sent for recycling is likely to increase in 2026. Luckily, here are many different ways that businesses in the UK can fulfil their recycling obligation.

TOP TIP: Booking a free recycling audit with QCR can identify ways that businesses can fulfil their legal obligation to recycle.

Why is Recycling Cardboard Important? 

Recycling is a critical step in the circular economy that enables us to make the most effective and sustainable use of our limited resources.  

1. Lowering Landfill Waste 

Cardboard is both bulky and heavy. As a result, when it ends up in a landfill, it takes up a huge amount of space. Some studies estimate that every ton of paper or cardboard that’s recycled saves 2.29 cubic metres of landfill space.    

2. Minimising Methane Emissions 

Climate change is a very real issue. The earth’s temperature has already risen 1.1ºC since 1880. One of the top contributors to greenhouse gases is methane, which is released as cardboard biodegrades. Recycling prevents the cardboard from decomposing and reduces the amount of methane released. 

3. Reducing Transit-related Greenhouse Gases 

Recycling cardboard decreases the demand for new raw materials, and therefore the need to transport them. In addition, if cardboard is recycled in-country, we can reduce its transit miles, how much we import from overseas and overall CO2 emissions.  

4. Conserving Forests 

Eliminating the need for new cardboard products reduces the need to cut down trees and slows deforestation globally. Cardboard can be recycled up to seven times before the fibres become too short to be reused. It’s estimated that for every ton of paper that’s recycled, 17 trees are saved from the chop.  

5. Protecting Wildlife 

We currently consume cardboard faster than we replace the trees to make it, which in turn eradicates many wildlife species’ natural habitats and puts animals at risk of extinction.  

6. Lowering Natural Resource Consumption 

Manufacturing cardboard doesn’t only require trees. Producing the humble cardboard box from recycled rather than raw materials drastically reduces the amount of energy, water and oil used in the manufacturing process.  

How Can You Manage Your Cardboard Recycling At Work? 

Cardboard is a byproduct in many businesses. In large volumes cardboard waste can become troublesome for businesses to store and dispose of it responsibly and legally. Luckily, there are many great recycling solutions for cardboard that can save time, money and space for businesses.

✔ Cardboard Balers 

Cardboard is loaded into the crushing chamber of a cardboard baler and compressed under a compaction plate by a powerful ram. The dense bundle is then be tied up with banding or wires so it can be collected by a recycling company.  

✔ Cardboard Shredders 

Surplus cardboard can be fed into a cardboard shredder to shred it into smaller pieces. Shredded cardboard is an environmentally friendly alternative to bubble wrap or packing peanuts for mail order businesses. Ensure you choose a machine that is designed for use in a business setting to prevent issues arising from jams or overheating.

✔ Cardboard BINS 

The most common way to recycle cardboard in the workplace is to put it in a recycling bin. Although popular due to their simplicity, the downside of bins is that you need to pay for them to be emptied. 

What Benefits Can You Expect? 

There are many sound business reasons why you should not throw away cardboard:

• Cardboard disposed of in general waste bins is subject to landfill tax

• Shredded cardboard can be repurposed as low-cost packaging for mail order businesses

• Good quality mill sized bales of cardboard can be sold

Explore Our Recycling Solutions 

The team at QCR Recycling Equipment (QCR) understand that workplace recycling needs to be cost-effective and legally compliant. That’s why we offer affordable recycling solutions for all materials, including glass, plastic and cardboard. Get in touch with us today to find the best solution to fit your business. 

Article updated: January 2026