All About the Cardboard
The big question: What kind of cardboard can currently be recycled through RAD?Recent conversations about cardboard helped us realize that people need more information about what cardboard is currently accepted. This will be especially helpful to our wonderful businesses now using the blue cardboard-only commercial dumpsters.When we talk about cardboard, we are usually referring to CORRUGATED cardboard. This is the thicker kind of cardboard with a wavy layer inside two flat layers. Most everything shipped from online orders and bulk business shipments arrives in corrugated cardboard boxes. In the recycling business corrugated cardboard is referred to as “OCC,” which stands for Old Corrugated Cardboard.What is type is currently accepted by RAD?
Accepted
Corrugated - has a wavy layer inside two flat layers – the majority of online order boxes and bulk business shipments are corrugated
Not Accepted
Waxy Coated - Milk and juice cartons
Greyboard - Cereal and cracker boxes, Egg cartons, Six- & twelve-packs
Brown Paper - Brown bags and packing paper
How does the process work in Teton Valley?RAD collects business cardboard via 3- and 6-yard dumpsters with one of the commercial front load trucks. Residential cardboard is collected manually by the recycling team with the pickup truck and trailer. Each of the trucks bring the loads to the Teton County Transfer Station where it is unloaded in the recycling center (white tent), then hand loaded into the baler, baled and stored until a full semi-load is ready to be shipped. Once the appropriate number of bales are accumulated, the County sells it to a processor that recycles it into post-consumer content new boxes or packaging, brown paper bags, mailing tubes, or paperboard, such as cereal or shoe boxes.[caption id="attachment_705" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Only flattened corrugated cardboard is currently accepted by RAD[/caption][caption id="attachment_706" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Materials NOT accepted in or with Cardboard loads collected by RAD[/caption]ContaminationNo other materials, except corrugated cardboard, can be included in the bales. Any not-accepted materials or any other foreign materials would be considered contamination which can cause the load to be devalued or even rejected at any step in the process.Most common contaminants (to date)
- Trash and food waste (either as a mistake or illegal dumping)
- Plastic shrink wrap and bubble-wrap
- Styrofoam packing materials
- Cereal and cracker boxes
- Brown Bags and packing paper
QUESTIONS? Wondering why greyboard is not currently accepted? There are definitely many more details associated with recycling cardboard and other accepted recyclable materials. If you have questions, we encourage residents to send email inquiries to info@radcurbside.com.RAD is excited to be Teton Valley’s stewards of service, community and environment. To learn more about the materials that are recyclable via RAD - Download RAD’s Acceptable Recyclable Materials Flyer at: www.RadCurbside.com/Recyclable-Materials