The EPA estimates that 68 percent of all paper and cardboard recycling actually winds up being recycled every year. Plus all the tape is thrown away too, which just creates excess waste. All of that tape and the cardboard that was not recycled will need to be incinerated or landfilled. In 2018, landfills received 17.2 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) paper and paperboard. This was 11.8 percent of MSW landfilled in 2018. The total amount of paper and paperboard combusted in 2018 was 4.2 million tons. This was 12.2 percent of all MSW combusted that year.
Recycling cardboard also uses a lot of energy, fuel, and water. It also deteriorates the environment since trees have to be cut down to manufacture them. Only to be discarded which increases corrugated waste after 1- 2 uses. Cardboard makes up to 10% of urban landfills and recycling cardboard takes 75% of the energy needed to make new cardboard!
For each cardboard that is recycled, 40% is used to make a new one, and 60% is non useable sludge. This sludge is then burned and it releases C02 emissions into the atmosphere, or dumped in a landfill. So no, cardboard is NOT good for the environment! Rent our totes instead and know that you are making a difference for our environment.