Recycling cardboard. Bale compressor. Real world experience wanted.

pharmvet · Dec 5, 2013

I have a small business that receives several large boxes of product daily. I have always thrown the boxes away. Recently I have been considering having a local fabricating buddy of mine try to build me a hydraulic cardboard compressor so that I can turn all these boxes into bales. I'm looking for real world info on the subject.

1) what size should the bales be and what should they weigh?
2) who would purchase the bales of cardboard and what is the going price?

Is this a worthwhile endeavor? If so, I will be inquiring here about the actual fabrication of the bale compressor.

Tractor Seabee · Dec 5, 2013

In my experience you have to have a lot of cardboard to warrant getting even the token amount for its sale. Most recycle operations are tax payer subsidized as the handling labor and equipment cost exceeds the value to the end user of the product. A number of years ago there was a big hoorah when the county owned and operated recycle center sent most of there output to the landfill as there was no market value or demand for the products and receive money for it. Today the local steel recycler will only pay if you have 1/2 ton or more. Retail stores have balers more to reduce the volume for storage and a pick up service than the money to be gained. commercially if you do not have a dumpster full or bale it no one will pick it up you have to deliver it to them. If your volume is high enough you local waste disposal service may provide a small container and pick it up with there recycle operation which is usually residential. My Daughter and son-law have a restaurant and they have to put in their general refuse container.

Ron

oldnslo · Dec 6, 2013

Here in northern Illinois if you have enough volume they will pick it up for free. You do not get paid for your efforts. Seems like recycling card board costs to much.

bandaidmd · Dec 6, 2013

pharmvet said:
I have a small business that receives several large boxes of product daily. I have always thrown the boxes away. Recently I have been considering having a local fabricating buddy of mine try to build me a hydraulic cardboard compressor so that I can turn all these boxes into bales. I'm looking for real world info on the subject.

1) what size should the bales be and what should they weigh?
2) who would purchase the bales of cardboard and what is the going price?

Is this a worthwhile endeavor? If so, I will be inquiring here about the actual fabrication of the bale compressor.

Are you trying to turn a profit or just being earth friendly?

I would search for a used baler before committing to build one, you do have a forklift to move the bales?

Your refuse hauler may have some options for recycling the boxes.

A standard bale is about 4' x 4' x 2' thick and the weight is enough that the balers have a hydraulic tilting floor to kick the bale out..

Most large grocery stores have balers, stop by and ask to have a look.

Qapla · Dec 7, 2013

If you can set an account with a recycling company like Waste Management or Jefferson Smurfit they pay good rates for cardboard. Baled pays better than lose.

Standard bales from small businesses run in the 900 pound range while large bales come in closer to 2000 pounds. It is best to take in a whole trailer load at once to make it worth the fuel to haul the load.

BTW .... yes, I have hauled cardboard for recycling ... and it can pay well. However, if you are just taking it to your local "City" center or a small business it will not pay much at all - they will be getting the good money when they resell it.

catskinner · Dec 7, 2013

We bale cardboard and recycle to save on cost of garbage pickup. what we save in that cost is 10x the amount returned from sale of cardboard.

stuckmotor · Dec 7, 2013

Back in the 70's I worked in a department store. A man used to come by and get the cardboard in a couple of 3/4 ton pickup trucks. He and his crew would cut the boxes into flat sections and strap them down to haul them. Then they'd wet them down. He said the company that bought them paid by weight and wanted them wet. I never understood why the company didn't buy the boxes dry and wet them down on site.

krankieone · Dec 9, 2013

stuckmotor said:
Back in the 70's I worked in a department store. A man used to come by and get the cardboard in a couple of 3/4 ton pickup trucks. He and his crew would cut the boxes into flat sections and strap them down to haul them. Then they'd wet them down. He said the company that bought them paid by weight and wanted them wet. I never understood why the company didn't buy the boxes dry and wet them down on site.

I have worked in a paper recycle mill for 25 years and they dont want it wet but they do pay by the ton.

stuckmotor · Dec 9, 2013

Krankieone,
Thankyou. I'll probably go to my grave trying to figure out what he really did with that wet cardboard. This was during the Arab oil embargo and it just didn't make sense for him to make it heavier before he hauled it.

smstonypoint · Dec 9, 2013

stuckmotor said:
Krankieone,
Thankyou. I'll probably go to my grave trying to figure out what he really did with that wet cardboard. This was during the Arab oil embargo and it just didn't make sense for him to make it heavier before he hauled it.