Cardboard Recycling Changes

Changes are being made in the cardboard recycling industry. It means you’ll need to carefully separate styrofoam, plastic and other contaminates from your cardboard before throwing it into a recycling bin.

Laura Zapotichny of the Fraser Fort George Regional District, says the changes are required because of new rules in China, the world’s largest importer of recycled goods.  China is now demanding a higher level of clean cardboard.  Cardboard with styrofoam or plastics mixed in, could be rejected and dumped in a landfill in North America.  
Zapotichny says local residents and businesses need to make changes to the way they deal with cardboard immediately.  

Curbside recycling programs were introduced in part, as a strategy to reduce the amount of waste entering landfills.  But those who don’t follow the new lower contamination requirements, could wind up dumping cardboard back into landfills, shortening the landfill’s lifespan.