Sustainability is an important aspect to the products we consume today, which is why using environmentally-friendly products is of high importance both for the government and the consumers. Cardboard is one of the many products, that is used in large quantity across the globe, which also opens up the opportunity to recycle cardboard and other paper products in large quantities to make it a sustainable product. After doing some research, I’ve written this article to give you complete knowledge of the recycling process, balers used and other aspects of the process.
Reducing Waste by Recycling Cardboard
Cardboard is made of wood, which makes it biodegradable; but then, it also recyclable which gives us the opportunity to use the same material aging to make something new, thereby reducing waste. Cardboard boxes are basically sheets of paper, glued together to make a hard material used for making packaging boxes. These boxes themselves don’t have a long life hence it does come after at some point and is disposed of. Due to its high consumption, it is both necessary and responsible to recycle them to be used for making new products.
Here’s a step-by-step process of how recycling is done:
Step 01: Collection of Cardboard and Paper Stock
The recyclers and business start by collecting discarded cardboard and other paper items from the collection points. Major collection points are trash cans, stores, scrap yards, and discarded cardboard from commercial outlets such as manufacturers. The recycling center is the second stage of collection, from where the cardboards are weighed and carried to the recycling facilities. After this, the paper is sorted out as certain types of cardboard cannot be recycled such as the ones that are coated with wax or is stain with oil and grease. These cardboard boxes undergo specialized recycling process.
Step 02: Sorting
After all cardboard and paper material has reached the recycling center they are then sorted out. Cardboards are sorted into two categories i.e. corrugated cardboard and boxboard. The boxboards are thin cardboards like the ones used in cereal boxes or cartons. The corrugated cardboards are thicker, stiffer and stronger as they are made using layers of paper liners and corrugated medium. Sorting is essential to produce different grades of paper material depending on the type of cardboard they recycle. After sorting, the cardboards are compressed into compact bales, which are easy to transport, stack and handle.
Step 03. Shredding and Pulping
All paper products such as cardboard and cardstock are made from plant-based fibers. Therefore, for recycling cardboard, it has to be first shredded, which breaks down paper fibers into smaller pieces. Then comes the pulping process, where the shredded pieces are mixed with water and other chemicals which breaks down the paper fibers and turn them into a pulp. The pulped material produced is them mixed with fresh pulp to solidify the resulting substance. The recycled pulp alone can be used to make paper products, but they will of poor quality, which is why fresh pulp and wood chips are added to produce high-quality cardboard.
Step 04: Filtering and De-Inking
The pulpy material produced will have a lot of impurities, which came with the cardboards during the collection process. Impurities such as glue, tape, plastics, staples, strings etc are removed in this process. These contaminants are removed using a centrifuge-based process, where the lighter plastics and tapes float and heavier staples settle in the bottom, from where they are removed.
After filtering the pulp, it is stripped of its colors using floatation machine which uses decolorization chemicals. These chemicals remove any form of dyes or ink in the pulp. It is further cleaned using a series of filtering and screening process to produce high-quality pulp which is then sent for the final processing.
Step05: Finishing
In this stage, the cleaned pulp is mixed with new virgin paper material and is dried on a conveyor belt or table. Heated cylindrical surfaces dry out the pulp, at the same time, it is passed through a machine that presses out excess water and gives it its final shape. The resultant paper is produced in long rolls called liner-boards. The liner-boards are then glued together to make new pieces of cardboard. The sheets are also made into corrugated sheets which are glued between two thin layers of liner-boards to produce corrugated cardboard.
The recycled material is sent to manufacturers who cut and crease the cardboard to make boxes.
Cardboard Waste Container Units
Cardboard recycling effectively reduces greenhouse gasses and makes for a sustainable solution but the sheer quantity of material processed through industries raises the question of where to store recyclables. There are various sizes of containers who will temporarily store cardboard water until it is recycled.
The three main containers for storing waste cardboard are:
- Dumpster
- Compactor
- Balers
01. A Dumpster is for businesses and companies who produce a low quantity of waste cardboard. Balers are for corporations who produce a high quantity of waste cardboard and paper materials on a daily basis.
02. Whereas the compactor will meet the needs of business who produce a moderate quantity of waste cardboard.
03. Moreover, businesses should choose a container facility that best fits their needs as there are various sizes of compactors and balers. Along with that, the location of the container unit is also important to consider which choosing a facility.
Cardboard Baler Units
These units enable businesses to dispose of large quantities of recyclable cardboard. A business owner who wants a baler in their own facility should consider a few aspects before purchasing. The type of baler you use largely depends on the size and the weight capacity of the machine. Then you have compared the price of different baled cardboard and after determining other business aspects you can opt for a suitable waste disposal unit. This is necessary for businesses to reduce their carbon footprint as it has become a government as well as public concern.
As discussed above balers have an important role in the recycling process. It basically compresses the cardboards into a tight and compact form which are then sent to the recycling unit for pulping. Impurities like adhesives, staples, straps, tapes etc can be removed after the pulping process of before baling Process. These bales are of high value to the recycling units which makes it ideal for companies to make profits as well as contribute to reducing waste.
Types of Balers
01. Horizontal Baler
These are meant for larger recycling facilities. Most businesses don’t produce that amount of cardboard waste that they need a horizontal baler. It is typically used by recycling facilities who collect cardboard and process waste on their own. They collect waste cardboards in tons and need a heavy-duty baler to compress these cardboard wasters. However, when they collect bales from business, they are usually compressed using a vertical baler. These balers are also larger and take up a lot of space and are expensive. They process material faster and compress bales from sides instead of the top. They also have auto-tying features.
02. Vertical Baler
These balers are smaller and process low quantities of cardboard waste. They are used by small recycling facilities and companies who want to process cardboard waste in their own company. These bales are compressed vertically and produce bales of smaller sizes. Moreover, the bales have to tie manually.
03. Two Ram Baler
This is used in high-volume facilities where they have to process large quantities of cardboard materials. It compresses cardboard waste from both sides using two rams. This too is for industrial purposes and used by large recycling facilities.
Benefits for Companies in Having a Baler
Many companies produce a lot of paper waste which would just be dumped away if not processed. For these companies, baling paper or cardboard waste is a viable option as it saves the company money on storage as well as make profits by selling bales to the recycling facilities. Moreover, if the cardboards are sent in their original waste condition, it would be heavier contributing to increased expenses on fuel cost. To make a long story short, using a baler is an investment for the company both in terms of profits and be environmentally-friendly. Also by reducing their carbon footprint through best recycling practices, the companies also get preference from their customers and consumers for showing responsibility towards reducing waste.
Recently cardboard balers have become hugely popular among commercial establishments and retail outlets such as office, warehouses, pharmacies, restaurant, etc.
Follow Govt Rules
In many countries, companies are legally bound to manage their waste disposal. If a company is producing too much cardboard waste, it becomes the company’s responsibility to process this waste using a baler to help recycling facilities. Having a baler in your facility will help you save money in legal fines.
Make Profits with Waste Disposal
Instead of dumping it in the landfill, companies can save significant cost simply by compressing the cardboard waste. It will save them fuel cost as well as make profits when they sell it to recycling units.
Reduce Storage
Compacted cardboard waste or bales occupy less space which helps economize on space, especially if they produce large quantities of paper waste.
Be Responsible
The environment is a major concern for consumers. By throwing waste to landfill, your company will lose respect from your consumers. So, by using waste management system you will seem a responsible company helping in preserving the environment which will increase your brand presence among customers.
Factors to Consider When Purchasing a Baler
- The length of time for which your company will be producing cardboard waste. If your business has a lot to produce, you can turn it into profits by selling balers to the recycling unit. If you have little cardboard waste, you can also opt for rental baler units.
- The price of the baled cardboard depends on the size and production capacity of the unit. If you have a large space available in your facility and you produce large quantities of cardboard waste, then a horizontal baler would be the best option for you.
- Weight comparison of loose and baled material will help you decide on the type of baler to purchase and if you have the space to accommodate it. 60 lbs of loose cardboard in the container could go up to 600 lbs when baled.
- Make sure to measure the space you can allow for a baler. If your business involves a lot of cardboard products, it would be an investment to have baler in the facility. However, you have to consider the size of the baler as well. A vertical baler can go up to 85 inches in width. A standard baler would be around 50 inches from the ground, the smallest being around 25 inches from the ground. This is a significant aspect of making a decision.
- Next, you have to decide on the manpower necessary to operate the baler. Should you need manual labor to feed material to a baler or break down waste cardboards before loading into the baler. You could just avoid all this and purchase an automatic baler for your facility.
Why You Should Recycle Cardboard?
- Cardboard recycling will reduce dumping in landfills, which will make your environment clean and promote a healthy surrounding.
- Cardboards are 100% recyclable and major city of the cardboard you are using now has 70% to 80% recycled material.
- It is biodegradable and reduces environmental footprint and recycling cardboard is a solution to environmental conservation.
- It preserves natural resources because producing new cardboard products uses the highest percentage of natural resources.
- The wood chips are procured from birch or pine tree pulp which makes it highly recyclable.
- These trees grow fast compared to hardwood trees and can grow in various conditions. Their recyclability and ability to grow fast in various conditions makes it easier to manage and harvest sustainably.
- By recycling cardboard, the energy used to produce corrugated packing items is reduced. It also makes use of locally available materials which can be harvested in the right way. Therefore, the production and transportation cost of cardboard recycling is reduced.
- Recycling reduces the extraneous materials and energy needed to manufacture new boxes and prevents cardboard wastes.
- Recycling conserves resources, creates employment and reduces pollution.
- Even if you don’t have a baler you can send discarded cardboard boxes to the local recycling center.
Recommended Cardboard Baler
Up to 2 Tons Per Day – For this you would need Vertical Cardboard Baler, which is a manually fed machine which can produce bales from 24 to 72 inches wide, weighing up to 1500 pounds.
Up to 4 Tons Per Day – For this, you would need Horizontal Cardboard Baler, which is also manually fed or could be used a conveyor to feed loose cardboards through an open top. It can produce bales from 30 to 42 inches wide and from 60 to 72 inches in length, which could weight up to 2000 pounds.
Up to 200 Tons Per Day – For this, you would need Auto-Tie Cardboard Baler, which is manually fed or conveyor fed. The auto-tie units can tie off each bale within 40 seconds. It is recommended for businesses looking for high production who need less labor involvement. You could also use Two Ram Cardboard Baler for the same amount of production.
Top Nine(09) Closed-End Horizontal Baler (with Price)
01. Maren F66-4PS
- Feed Opening: 60 x 35 inches
- Bale Size: 60 x 30 x 48 inches
- Motor/Voltage: 20 HP/ 460 V 3 Phase
- Price: $40000
02. AEP Model 6048XHD
- Feed Opening: 30 x 48 inches
- Bale Size: 60 x 30 x 40 inches
- Motor/Voltage: 400 HP/ 460 V
- Price: $45000
03. MSI Model 4070
- Feed Opening: 27 x 51 inches
- Bale Size: 30 x 40 x 72 inches
- Motor/Voltage: 30 HP/ 460 V 3 Phase
- Price: $16000
04. Balemaster Series 300
- Feed Opening: 28 x 48 inches
- Bale Size: 30 x 42 x 60 inches
- Motor/Voltage: 20 HP/ 460 V 3 Phase
- Price: $23000
05. Selco HL-60EBHS
- Feed Opening: 60 x 39 inches
- Bale Size: 60 x 42 x 42 inches
- Motor/Voltage: 50 HP/ 460 V 3 Phase
- Price: $44000
06. KMF Model OSH
- Feed Opening: 30 x 40 inches
- Bale Size: 32 x 42 x 72 inches
- Motor/Voltage: 20 HP/ 460 V 3 Phase
- Price: $15000
07. C&M Model 3430
- Feed Opening: 34 x 30 inches
- Bale Size: 30 x 42 x 72 inches
- Motor/Voltage: 20 HP/ 460 V 3 Phase
- Price: $8000
08. Allegheny Model 2024-532CE
- Feed Opening: 20 x 24 inches
- Bale Size: 20 x 24 x 24 inches
- Motor/Voltage: 7.5 HP/ 460 V 3 Phase
- Price: $9000
09. Cram-a-Lot Model 72HORIZ
- Feed Opening: 40 x 42 inches
- Bale Size: 72 x 42 x 48 inches
- Motor/Voltage: 15 HP/ 460 V 3 Phase
- Price: $15000
Top Nine(09) Vertical Cardboard Baler(with Price)
01. PTR Model 1800 Baler and Compactor
- Feed Opening: 25 inches
- Bale Size: 48 x 30 x 36 inches
- Price: $6250
02. As-Is AirBorn Industries Model SD160
- Loading Height: 48 inches
- Compact Force: 80819 PSI
- Baled Items: OCC, Paper, Cloth, and non-ferrous metal
- Bale Size: 60 x 30 x 48 inches
- Bale Weight: Up to 1400 pounds OCC
- Price: $9000
03. Bramidan Model B4
- Loading Height: 25 inches
- Press Force: 8800 pounds
- Bale Size: 30 x 20 x 24 inches
- Bale Weight: Up to 130 pounds OCC
- Price: $5300
04. Bramidan X25
- Loading Height: 38 inches
- Press Force: 55200 pounds
- Bale Size: 48 x 30 x 30 inches
- Bale Weight: Up to 650 pounds OCC
- Price: $12250
05. HSM V-Press 610
- Loading Height: 19 inches
- Pressing Power: 120 kN
- Bale Size: 23 inches
- Bale Weight: 110.23 pounds/h
- Price: $6500
06. HSM V-Press 825 Plus
- Loading Height: 21 inches
- Pressing Power: 250 kN
- Bale Size: 30 x 27 inches
- Bale Weight: 308 pounds/h
- Price: $18000
07. Bramidan B30 Wide
- Feed Opening: 1525 x 560 mm
- Press force: 30t
- Bale Weight: 1100 pounds
- Bale Size: 1525 x 800 x 1100 mm
08. Bramidan B50 XL SD
- Feed Opening: 1200 x 600 mm
- Press force: 50t
- Bale Weight: 1100 pounds
- Bale Size: 1200 x 800 x 1200 mm
09. PTR 2300HD
- Feed Height: 54 inches
- Max Ram Pressure: 35.5 psi
- Bale Weight: 1000 pounds
- Bale Size: 60 x 30 x 48 inches
- Price: $8000
Top Five(05) Two-Ram Baler (with Price)
01. American Baler Wide Box Series
- Feed Opening: 78 x 88 inches
- Bale Size: 30 x 45 x 60 inches
- Bale Weight: up to 2500 pounds
- Production Capacity: 6.6 tons/hr
- Price: $250000
02. American Baler 4020RXP-T50
- Feed Opening: 72 x 43 inches
- Bale Size: 60 x 30 x 45 inches
- Compression Force: 235000 pounds
- Drive: 10-HP/ 460 V
- Price: $195000
03. Harris Model HRB-8-NF-100
- Production Capacity: 12 tons/hr
- Charge Box: 110 x 58 inches
- Motor: 100 HP
- Main Cylinder: 12 inches
- Price: $110000
04. Marathon Model TR-10 100
- Feed Opening: 70 x 40 inches
- Bale Size: 31 x 45 x 64 inches
- Motor/Voltage: 100 HP/ 460 V 3 Phase
- Price: $175000
05. Selco 2R1275
- Bale Size: 30 x 60 x 45 inches
- Motor/Voltage: 75 HP/ 460 V 3 Phase
- Cylinder Size: 12 inches
- Price: $75000
Other Tools You Need Other than Baler
- Wheeled container – Wheeled containers would store and carry loose cardboard and paper products in and around the company. Place it near the cardboard waste output.
- Strapping – It is just a binding or tie down material such as metal wires and other straps used to keep a compressed bale in shape. Use an auto-tie baler to do it manually or automatically.
- Pallet – To ease transportation to need to have pallets on which the compressed bale will be placed and stacked.
- Pallet truck – You would also need to transport the pallet on a pallet truck to the pickup zone.
Conclusion
Using a cardboard baler in your facility will significantly reduce waste and optimize storage space. Moreover, most balers can handle plastics and metals, other than cardboard, which is an added advantage for companies who produce other waste as well. Baler will enable you to make profits on wastes, which would otherwise end up in a landfill. Cardboard waste baling has become common in recent years in industries other than recycling plants. Supermarket, retail outlets, convenience stores, warehouses, agricultural companies are among the few who bale and sell their cardboard and paper waste. If you are considering getting a baler to your facility, you will not only make profits but also support a greater cause.
