Where To Sell Cardboard Bales?

If your business has a lot of cardboard waste, it’s a good idea to get a baler. Baling makes the transportation of cardboard waste more economical by condensing box waste into a bundle known as a bale. If you’d like to start selling your bales but you’re not sure where to begin, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll explore where to sell your cardboard bales and more importantly, how to do it in the right way to avoid problems. 

Who Wants to Buy Cardboard Bales?  

Good quality, securely bound cardboard bales are in demand in the UK. As a result, most UK businesses sell bales of cardboard to a licensed recycling businesses who collect them and take them to a central hub. At the hub, the small bales are remade into larger bales known as mill size. Full lorry loads of large mill size bales are then sold directly to a recycling facility.

Why Bother With a Baler? 

Many workplaces pay for cardboard waste to be collected from a commercial recycling bin. In contrast, workplaces with a recycling baler can often get their cardboard collected for free or receive a rebate for it. Due to regional variations, it's important to enlist the help of a baler specialist like QCR to  assess the feasibility of baling at your workplace.

What To Look Out For When Selling Cardboard Bales

Whilst the process of creating bales is easy, finding the right company to collect them is not as straightforward.  Contact QCR for help and read our top tips below:

• Choose a Reputable Company:  If you search on the internet for ‘cardboard recycling’ or ‘who buys cardboard bales near me’, you’ll be met with a dizzying number of results. You’ll need to thoroughly filter these companies and conduct due diligence to ensure you only choose a reputable and reliable company. If space at your premises is restricted, you’ll need to ensure you find out about their vehicle size, how the bales will be loaded onto the lorry and whether they require full or partial loads. You’ll also need to find out what documentation you will receive when the scrap cardboard is collected and how you will be paid.

• Learn What Your Cardboard Bales Are Worth: In the UK, clean cardboard can be very valuable but like any commodity, the price will fluctuate over time. The exact price of your bales will depend on factors like your location, bale quality, and the time of year. Understandably, the largest producers of scrap cardboard in the UK have the potential to receive the best returns from selling it. This is because they can produce mill size bales and have sufficient space to store them so they can be collected by a recycling company in full loads.

• Review the Quality of Your Cardboard Bales: You need to make sure your bales are free from contaminates that could hinder the recycling process like bits of food, paint, glitter, fabrics or metallic sequins. Some paper and cardboard is lined with polyethene which is also classed as a contaminant. If contaminants are present,  the recycler may refuse to collect them.

• Check the Moisture Content of Your Bales: Wet cardboard is difficult to bale therefore it's not recommended. To prevent moisture from creeping in, it's recommended that you place your baled material onto a pallet. Some companies refuse to collect wet cardboard making the process of baling it pointless.

• Check the Bale Size: Some bale collectors have certain standards relating to bale size, quantity and the banding used to secure them. It's important to understand their needs before enlisting their services. For example a collector who is only willing to collect bales in full loads is unlikely to be a great match for a business with limited storage space for their bales.

How Do I Start Producing Cardboard Bales?

To create bales, you need a cardboard baler. If you’re currently using bins to dispose of your unwanted cardboard, then our balers can reduce your waste volume by up to 85%. We have over 25 years experience and are a leading supplier of cardboard balers in the UK so you know you can put our trust in us. We have a range of high quality and robust balers to hire or buy with small to bigger machines available. If you’re based in mainland UK,  free trials are available to make sure you get the right machine for your business. before you commit.

Updated: March 2026