Currently, about 70 percent of cardboard-boxes shipped commercially are recovered for recycling.
Many of the boxes are themselves made of recycled materials or lumber industry byproducts like sawdust and wood chips.
When recycled, cardboard is used to make chipboard like cereal boxes, paperboard, paper towels, tissues and printing or writing paper. It's also made into more corrugated cardboard.
How It's Recycled:
The cardboard is re-pulped and the fibers are separated and bleached. This is a chemical process involving hydrogen peroxide, sodium silicate, and sodium hydroxide.
The fibers are screened and cleaned to eliminate contaminants.
The fibers are washed to remove leftover ink.
Fibers are pressed and rolled into paper.
he rolls of paper are then converted into boxes or made into new products.