Corrugated has been recycled for decades, mostly by commercial users such as your neighborhood grocery store. As a matter of fact, almost 76% of all corrugated is currently recovered for recycling — that’s up from 54% in 1990. Families across America have joined in the effort as community recycling programs grew and matured, recycling a record-high 23.7 million tons of corrugated cardboard boxes in 2003.
You can save money on moving by using recycled moving boxes and MovingCompanies for your move.
The corrugated industry wants to recover its product to make more boxes, which almost always include substantial recycled content, and end users derive revenues from the sale of OCC (old corrugated containers). Growing demand for and market value of OCC gives communities a good economic reason to recycle corrugated. Less Is More. Corrugated has improved quite a bit over the years. Box manufacturers have learned to make stronger boxes using less raw material. Environmentalists call this source reduction: using less raw material, and generating less waste at the source. Corrugated packaging also allows significant source reduction by eliminating the need for overwraps and secondary packaging.
30% of your entire moving budget can be attributable to packing materials. Quality, yet cheap moving boxes can help lessen that burden and allow to you refocus some of your budget on a superior moving crew.
Cheap moving boxes from “ big box retail stores” lack the quality of most moving industry packing material. Generally, quality moving boxes have been certified by the manufacturer guaranteeing that they meet quality standards set by the moving industry. Some chain store moving boxes do not meet construction requirements applicable for household goods freight. Certification seals on quality moving boxes indicate the product has been put through edge crush and weight tests for various sized boxes. Also, big retail and hardware stores rarely have wardrobe boxes for moving of your hanging clothes or mirror and picture boxes.
Check out these places for used moving boxes to recycle:
1. Craigslist. A quick search in the free section (found underneath the “for sale” heading) offered up at least 20 sources for free boxes.
2. Freecycle. We only found one posting with free boxes in our area when we searched yesterday (but it’s still a great place to check back with before a move).
3. Liquor stores. Try and ask for boxes with lids (otherwise, contents are bound to fall out in the moving truck). Boxes from a liquor store tend to be small and sturdy–great for books, CDs and DVDs.
4. Bookstores. A perfect place to pick up boxes specifically for moving books.
5. Grocery Stores. Ask them to save their apple boxes for you to pickup–these freebies are perfect for moving fragile items.