What to do with
Cardboard
Want to recycle cardboard but don't know if you can?
Cardboard is widely recycled. To check if you can recycle card and cardboard at home or to find out where your nearest recycling facilities are, use our handy Recycling Locator tool
How to recycle card and cardboard
The main types of cardboard we find at home are corrugated cardboard (i.e. packing boxes) and the types used for food and drink packaging - such as cereal boxes, egg cartons, cardboard sleeves or boxes from ready meals etc. Both types are recyclable but councils sometimes collect them separately. Check with Recycling Locator to find out more about your local recycling scheme. Alternatively you can take it to the local recycling centre.
| Yes please | No thanks |
|---|---|
| Cardboard boxes (e.g. cereal boxes, dishwasher tablet boxes) | Card that is stained or dirty with foodstuffs, grease, paint or dirt (e.g. pizza boxes) |
| Corrugated cardboard | Glitter covered greetings cards |
| Online delivery boxes and cardboard envelopes (remove all plastic inserts and polystyrene as well as packing tape) | Food and drink cartons |
| Greetings cards WITHOUT glitter (tear off glitter section, badges and batteries) | |
| Egg boxes | |
| Brown paper |
Re-use them...
- Cardboard boxes are useful for storage - remember to write the contents on the box so you can see at a glance what it contains!
- Large cardboard boxes make great toy boxes - try decorating with left-over wallpaper or get creative with scraps of fabric to jazz them up a bit!
- Kids love to play with cardboard boxes - especially the very big boxes. Just add imagination and they can be anything from play houses to fire engines!
- Use a cardboard box to collect your recycling in - then you won't have to separate it later!
Pass them on...
- Ask family and friends if they need them - large cardboard boxes are handy if moving house and smaller boxes are great for storage
- Local schools or playgroups might find them useful for craft projects
What else can I do with cardboard?
- Egg boxes and other cardboard can be home composted.
See how paper and card is recycled
See the making of a fabulous cardboard Christmas tree