Cardboard is everywhere, from the mountain of delivery boxes piling up in your entryway to the packaging that lines grocery store shelves. But once we break them down and toss them in the bin, what really happens? As it turns out, cardboard recycling is one of the most important—and successful—parts of the recycling system in the U.S., and it’s worth understanding just how big an impact it makes.
To start, cardboard is the most recycled packaging material in the United States. In 2024 alone, Americans generated over 33 million tons of cardboard, with a recycling rate of over 90% for corrugated cardboard (OCC). That puts it well ahead of plastic and even aluminum in terms of recovery rate. Most of the boxes we receive today are already made from recycled material. In fact, many cardboard boxes are produced using over 50% recycled content, and some are made entirely from recycled fibers. This has helped reduce the demand for virgin wood pulp, lowering deforestation, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with manufacturing.
What many people don’t realize is that recycling just one ton of cardboard saves over 9 cubic yards of landfill space, along with 7,000 gallons of water. That’s because the process of turning old cardboard into new board uses far fewer resources than creating it from scratch. It also helps reduce methane emissions in landfills, which is crucial given cardboard’s tendency to break down and produce greenhouse gases if improperly disposed of—especially when wet.
While cardboard recycling is relatively simple, not all boxes are treated equally. Cardboard intended for recycling has to meet certain standards. We here at Greene Recycling are well experienced with mill regulations. Give us a call for all your cardboard bale pickup needs!