Recycling Apartment Building Cardboard

So Much Apartment Building Cardboard – So Little Space!

The convenience of online shopping has completely changed the retail landscape forever.  Consumers now have the power of comparison shopping for virtually any product, at their preferred pace, at any given time, and from any location.  The immediate gratification of receiving discounted goods, delivered to their doorstep in a timely manner, is intoxicating to many.

Online shopping is particularly popular in areas where larger big box retail stores don’t exist.  Urban residents often cite the overall expense, time commitment, frustration with traffic, parking logistics, and safety concerns as additional reasons for choosing online shopping over traditional in-store methods.

The same convenience of online shopping has also changed the way in which apartment building managers handle their waste byproducts.  The amount of apartment building cardboard waste generated by online deliveries has grown exponentially in the past decade.  Rarely are multiple online purchases packaged together, yielding even more cardboard to contend with.  Tenants have often disposed of their cardboard in the regular waste compaction chute in the building, rather than participating in any type of cardboard recycling program.  Some cities are now requiring cardboard recycling as part of their waste collection programs.

More and more apartment building managers understand the importance of recycling this new influx of cardboard.  Here are three reasons why every apartment manager should consider recycling their tenant’s cardboard and avoid adding it to the overall waste stream:

• Cardboard takes up space in trash compactors, requiring that waste haulers must empty containers more frequently, costing more money to the building owners. It is safe to assume that this added expense is most likely passed on to the tenants in the long run.

• Cardboard, when added to the already heavy burden placed in landfills, has a profoundly negative impact on the environment.

• Cardboard, like many other commercial commodities, is recyclable and can create an additional revenue stream for apartment building managers and owners.

How Can Cardboard Waste Be Recycled?

Once building managers have made the decision to reduce their waste hauling schedule, improve the environment, and earn additional revenue, they need to know what options are available in helping them with their cardboard recycling efforts.

Their initial investment should be in an affordable vertical baler that takes up a small amount of space in its operational footprint.  Ideally, the baler should be able to fit through a standard doorway so that it can be used in any area of the apartment building.  Keylock and safety switches should be present on the machine to prevent use from untrained personnel.

Another consideration is that the bales produced need to be of a size and weight that are manageable for the building maintenance staff.  The baler needs to be powerful enough to compact the cardboard into dense bales in order to maximize efficiency.

Finding the right combination of small size and incredible strength that fits a small budget can be difficult.  Harmony Enterprises has several quality vertical balers that are the perfect solution for recycling cardboard in urban residential complexes.

A shining example of the right apartment cardboard recycling solution is the Harmony M30STD Vertical Baler.  The M30STD fits into tight spaces and low ceilings other balers cannot.  It reduces disposal costs and adds potential revenue in cardboard recycling.  With its powerful 3” cylinder, two stage pump, and energy efficient motor, this workhorse creates 30” x 24” x 24” bales of cardboard that weight up to 145 lbs.  These bales are the ideal size for one person to manage in an apartment building setting.

To learn more about how the M30STD can help your building with its cardboard recycling program, or any of our quality vertical balers, call us at (507) 886-6666, or Contact Us today!