Bale Expectations
An OCC (Old Corrugated Containers) bale should contain clean, dry, and flattened corrugated cardboard, such as shipping boxes and brown cardboard cartons. The cardboard should be free of excessive food, grease, plastic, foam, or other contaminants. Materials that cannot go in an OCC bale include trash, plastic bags, Styrofoam, wax-coated cardboard, wet or heavily soiled […]
Is it worth it?
Cardboard recycling is worth it because it helps reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and saves natural resources. Recycling cardboard means fewer trees need to be cut down to make new paper products, while also using less energy and water than producing cardboard from raw materials. Although recycling requires transportation and processing, the […]
Market Update
The recycled cardboard (old corrugated containers, or OCC) market has continued to recover through 2026 after the weaker conditions experienced in 2023 and 2024. Prices have generally stabilized and increased modestly as demand from paper mills has improved and export markets, particularly in Southeast Asia and India, have remained active. Supply is relatively balanced, with […]
Why you should Recycle?
Cardboard recycling hits much closer to home than most people realize, directly influencing your wallet, your local economy, and the environment right outside your door. Because cardboard is incredibly bulky, tossing it into the regular trash causes landfills to overflow at a breakneck pace. Cities are forced to cover these rising waste management costs by […]
The current Market
The cardboard recycling market is currently undergoing a structural transformation, evolving from a traditional waste-management stream into a critical, strategic raw material sector. Driven by the sustained expansion of e-commerce and tightening regulatory mandates for circular economy practices, demand for high-quality recycled fiber remains robust, positioning Old Corrugated Containers (OCC) as a key input for […]
OCC Fun Facts
Cardboard recycling is more than just a chore; it’s a high-pressure transformation that turns loose scraps into “mill-sized” industrial building blocks. A standard cardboard bale can weigh anywhere from 800 to 1,300 pounds—roughly the weight of a full-grown grizzly bear—packed into a dense, wire-bound cube. This extreme compression is essential for logistics, as it allows […]
What is a OCC Bale?
An OCC Bale is a highly compressed, industrial-sized block of recycled cardboard, typically created by a machine called a baler. Instead of dealing with loose, bulky boxes that take up massive amounts of space, businesses use these machines to crush the material under intense pressure, securing the resulting cube with heavy-duty wire or plastic strapping. […]
Is Recycling Worth It?
A cardboard bale pickup service is a recycling service that collects large, compressed bundles of cardboard that have been compacted using a baler machine. Businesses that generate a high volume of cardboard use this service to efficiently manage waste, reduce disposal costs, and maintain a clean, organized workspace. The service typically includes scheduled or on-demand […]
Is recycling worth It?
Why do we recycle cardboard? Is it even important? Recycling cardboard is very important and one of the most effective recycling actions you can take. Cardboard is made from wood pulp, so recycling it helps save trees and conserves natural resources. It also uses far less water and energy than producing new cardboard from raw […]
Cardboard projections
In 2024 and early 2025, OCC experienced a roller-coaster ride: after a mid 2024 spike with prices reportedly up roughly 245% year-over-year the market reversed sharply. By December 2024, U.S. OCC prices had dropped to around US $66/ton, falling ~17% year-over-year and ~11% month-over-month. This slump largely reflects weakened demand for corrugated box shipments and […]