Ditch the Take, Make & Dispose Model with Cardboard

Ditch the Take, Make & Dispose Model with Cardboard

Take, Make and Dispose; this traditional consumption model has been the basis of manufacture for centuries and has contributed to the depletion of natural materials and the destruction of our environment.

With growing awareness of our impact on the environment and global targets aimed at tackling the issue, new processes, materials, design and technology have made it viable for manufacturers and consumers to embrace a new way of thinking.

The aim is to move closer to a circular economy, where reduce, reuse and recycle is at the heart of every stage in the manufacturing process. The aim is to minimise the use of raw materials, improve the durability of goods and make it easier to disassemble and recover items so waste is negligible.

Cardboard and the Circular Economy

When it comes the circular economy, cardboard has many assets. It is typically made from 80% recycled material and it is possible to form cardboard from 100% recycled material for certain applications. It is sufficiently robust to be used many times over or to be re-modelled in new ways and if correctly disposed of, it is relatively straight forward to recycle.

Domestic Recycling

The vast majority of used cardboard from commercial sources is recycled, but levels are lower with domestic recycling. The levels are dependent on the recycling collections that are available locally. If there are separate collections or recycling facilities for cardboard, rates are high. The issue arises in areas with generic recycling bins.

If all recycled waste is collected together, it is easy for the cardboard to be contaminated with other materials. This makes it more complicated and less cost effective to recycle and cardboard producers are less willing to take the cardboard and incur the costs.

Shropshire Cardboard Recycling

Shropshire Council had recognised the lower levels of cardboard recycling and has taken action. Residents of Shrewsbury have now been issued with blue bags for cardboard recycling, with collections starting this month. The scheme will then be rolled out in other areas of the County.

By making it simple and convenient for households to recycle cardboard, it is hoped that recycling rates will improve. Will other Councils be following suit?