How To Recycle Corrugated

There are hundreds of waste paper dealers across the U.S. that buy old corrugated containers (OCC) and paper bags, and sell them to paper mills as raw material. To sell your used corrugated, check the Yellow Pages under Waste Paper.

To get the best prices for your OCC and to ensure proper recycling, follow these guidelines:

• Separate any contaminants from the corrugated, including strapping, plastic bags, Styrofoam, food waste or floor sweepings. Dealers pay the highest prices for clean corrugated.
• Remove any boxes that cannot be recycled, especially those that are contaminated by toxic or hazardous materials. If it has been treated with plastic extrusions or laminates, wax coatings, etc., it cannot be recycled (unless it is marked with the recyclable certification symbol shown below, which indicates the coating has been tested and proven recyclable):
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• Some dealers and mills will accept loose material, but large bales are generally preferred.