Top 5 Benefits of Recycling Paper and Cardboard

You’ve probably thought of practising sustainable living, which includes recycling and reusing cardboard. The simple practice might seem insignificant, but you’d be glad to know that there are numerous recycling benefits. 

Read on to discover the advantages of paper recycling in Melbourne and across Australia. We’ll explore how recycling cardboard benefits the environment, community, and the economy of our country. 

• Conserves the Natural Resources 

Making new paper and cardboard uses massive amounts of energy, water, and trees. Here’s how recycling these materials can conserve natural resources and offer numerous environmental benefits.

• Save Energy

Recycling paper uses 50% less energy than producing new paper. Less fuel is needed to fell trees and transport the virgin pulp to mills. Industries also use less electricity by bypassing energy-intensive processes like processing raw wood and pulping. 

• Save Water

According to ACT City Services, producing a tonne of paper using raw materials requires more than 90,000 litres of water. Using recycling materials to make paper and cardboard helps reduce the amount of water needed to make virgin paper. 

• Save Trees

Recycling cardboard and paper means that there’s lower demand for virgin trees. By cutting fewer trees, we can save our Australian forests and maintain biodiversity. It also prevents deforestation, which could cause climatic changes and global warming. 

2. Reduces Landfill

Paper and cardboard materials contribute largely to the solid waste that ends up in municipal landfills. Landfills pose a serious threat since the waste can produce methane, which causes fires and explosions. 

They also contaminate the soil and increase health risks to nearby communities, such as respiratory diseases. 

The solution? Embracing paper recycling at home and in the office contributes to waste reduction, which means fewer landfills. You can partner with a waste collection company to pick up the excess waste if you can’t recycle all the materials. 

If you’re in Melbourne or the neighbouring areas, talk to AB Recycling, which specialises in collecting and recycling cardboard and paper waste. 

3. Reduce Air and Water Pollution 

Besides saving forests, there are other environmental benefits associated with recycling. These include reducing pollution of the air and water sources. 

When felling and hauling trees to processing facilities, the machinery emits air pollutants like carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and carbon dioxide. 

It doesn’t end there. While processing wood into paper, the mills emit greenhouse gases into the environment. In some cases, the waste also ends up in water bodies neighbouring the industries, which affects the aquatic life. Landfills of paper and cardboard also contribute to air and water pollution. 

Recycling offers a solution by reducing the carbon footprint of power saws, trucks, and paper mills. Fewer landfills also mean the air is cleaner and the water is safer for both humans and aquatic life. 

4. Recycling Contributes to a Circular Economy 

Organisations, citizens, and even the Australian DCCEEW are pushing for the transition from a linear to a circular economy. Here are some of the ways that recycling paper and cardboard contributes to a circular economy: 

• Pollution and waste reduction, which is a core principle of a circular economy
• Reduces the dependence on virgin materials, which conserves the environment
• It promotes innovation as new products can be made from recycled materials

Businesses that use recycled materials to make their packages enjoy customer loyalty and a better brand reputation. They also benefit from increased efficiency while saving money and energy. 

Overall, the brands can gain more revenue since most consumers like to buy from brands that value sustainability. 

5. Recycling Benefits to Communities 

There are numerous recycling benefits that communities can enjoy. From economic growth to enjoying a cleaner environment that promotes better health. Let’s look at some of the advantages of recycling paper and cardboard: 

• Job opportunities: Recycling provides job opportunities to people involved in collecting, sorting, and processing the waste into new products. As more people embrace recycling, it creates more jobs. 
• Better resource allocation: According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the government spent $17 billion on waste management in 2018-19. By recycling, the government can spend less and allocate the funds to better areas, like the health sector. 
• Economic growth: Recycling attracts new companies and markets, which generate revenue and boost the Australian economy. These include recycling businesses like AB Recycling and businesses selling recycled materials. 
• Improved human well-being: Less pollution, more jobs, and cleaner air/water all contribute to a thriving community. 

 

Recycling is the Way to Go  

If you want to enjoy the recycling benefits we’ve discussed above, you must change how you manage paper and cardboard waste. Making lifestyle changes can feel overwhelming, especially when doing it alone. 

Partner with us at AB Recycling, your specialised paper and cardboard recycling company in Melbourne. Get in touch today to discuss your home or business recycling needs.