RECYCLING AND WASTE MANAGEMENT
CASH IN THE CARDBOARD
Businesses are being urged to ‘act quickly’ and turn their used cardboard into a new revenue stream as cardboard prices in the UK remain high. Jason Smith, Managing Director of phs Wastekit, explains more.
Many businesses are missing a trick when it comes to how they manage their waste, in particular their waste cardboard, which is now a valuable commodity in the UK.
There is real money to be made from selling cardboard, yet many businesses are paying someone else to take it away for them. The demand for cardboard since lockdown has been huge but businesses are overlooking the opportunities it has created for them, which can be a costly mistake.
According to figures from
letsrecycle.com, cardboard prices were at their highest since their records began towards the end of 2021, with dry bales of cardboard commanding up to £143 per tonne at UK domestic mills. That is a 50-60% increase from January 2021, where bales could reach between £73-£92 per tonne.
The price of cardboard does fluctuate, but 2021 saw an acceleration the likes of which we had never witnessed before, and the prices have remained strong into 2022 too.
Cardboard box manufacturers have been struggling with supply issues since 2019, when the global pandemic started. A decline in the use of paper during lockdown is thought to have caused the shortage, and subsequent price increase, of the raw recycled materials needed for cardboard production. This, coupled with the sudden increase in the demand for cardboard packaging for online shopping during the Covid crisis, is thought to have attributed to the price changes.
This is where the opportunity lies. Cardboard, like boxes or packaging, that has been ‘baled’ by a baler machine can be sold on to recycling companies for reuse or resale,
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bringing in new revenue for the business. It also reduces the business’ waste collection costs and landfill fees at the same time. I find it astonishing that more businesses don’t see the potential in their waste, especially as it costs them so much to dispose of it.
Selling waste cardboard is beneficial from an environmental and an economic perspective. The revenue stream that businesses can create, and the savings they make, supports their bottom line and boosts our economy. From an environmental point of view, there will be fewer waste collections and reduced fuel costs, and more quality cardboard gets back into our recycling system to help with the supply problem. It’s a win-win situation.
Businesses need to start accessing their ancillary costs in the same way as they do their core costs. A simple cost benefit analysis will quickly show up unnecessary costs and ways to generate revenue or reduce costs. There are almost always savings to be made in our experience, whether it’s reducing the labour costs associated with waste management or cutting down waste collections and transport costs.
As well as supplying high quality baler and compactor machines for rent or purchase, phs Wastekit offers servicing, maintenance and waste removal services across the UK, as well as partnerships with recycling companies to support customers. phs Wastekit offers a free Waste Saving Audit and a free trial of a baler or compactor to businesses to see how much they could save without any obligation.
www.phswastekit.co.uk twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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