What Paper & Cardboard Can Be Recycled?
Recycling paper and cardboard is one of the easiest ways to reduce waste and save resources. Below is a guide to what you can and can’t put in your recycling bin.
Acceptable Paper Types
You can recycle the following paper items:
- Office paper
- Magazines and newspapers
- Catalogues and brochures
- Shredded paper
- Clean brown paper bags
- Mixed paper and cardboard
Acceptable Cardboard Types
You can recycle the following cardboard items:
- Discarded corrugated cardboard (flattened)
- Paper and cardboard bales
- Pizza boxes and fast food containers (only if they are clean and free from food residue)
Items That Cannot Be Recycled
Keep these materials out of your recycling bin:
- Plastic-coated or laminated paper
- Painted or waxed cardboard
- Greasy or oily paper products
- Cardboard food and drink cartons (e.g. juice boxes)
- Glittery or foil greeting cards
- Cardboard with food residue or stains
- Wet or heavily soiled cardboard
- Contaminated pizza boxes
How to Prepare Paper & Cardboard for Recycling
A little preparation goes a long way in ensuring your paper and cardboard are actually recycled and not sent to landfill. Here’s how to get it right.
Removal of Contaminants
Before placing paper and cardboard in your recycling bin, make sure there are no landfill items mixed in. Common contaminants include:
- Food scraps
- Plastic bags
- Foil
- Cling wrap
- General household waste
These items can ruin whole loads of recyclable material, so always double-check.
Sorting Guidelines
- Remove any non-paper items like plastic windows or tape if possible.
- Remove staples and paper clips.
- Flatten cardboard boxes to save space and help with processing.
- Keep paper and cardboard as dry as possible.
Common Preparation Mistakes
Some of the most common mistakes people make include:
- Leaving greasy pizza boxes or food-soiled containers in the recycling – always scrape out any food and only recycle the clean parts.
- Putting plastic bags or soft plastics in with paper and cardboard.
- Recycling wet cardboard, keep it dry and store it undercover if needed.
The Paper Recycling Process: Step-by-Step
Ever wondered what happens to your paper and cardboard after it leaves your bin? Here’s how it’s transformed into new products.
Collection and Transportation
Recyclable paper and cardboard are collected from homes and businesses and transported to a local Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) or directly to a paper mill.
MRF Sorting Process
At the MRF, paper and cardboard are sorted by type and grade. Any remaining contaminants are removed to ensure only clean, high-quality material goes through for recycling.
Paper Mill Processing
Baled paper and cardboard are sent to a paper mill, where the recycling process begins. The paper is mixed with water and chemicals in a large vat to break it down into pulp.
De-inking and Cleaning
The pulp is mechanically cleaned by spinning it in cylinders to remove larger particles. Next, air and soap-like chemicals are injected to lift off ink and other residues — a process known as de-inking.
New Product Creation
Once cleaned, the pulp is spread onto a screen to drain excess water while the fibres bond together. Rollers squeeze out remaining moisture, and the paper is then dried, rolled and ready to be made into new products (e.g. office paper, packaging, toilet paper, or egg cartons).
Some waste from this process (called sludge) may be sent to landfill, burned for energy, or used as fertiliser. Paper can be recycled multiple times.
Environmental Benefits of Paper Recycling
Recycling paper and cardboard delivers powerful environmental benefits—saving energy and water, protecting forests, and supporting a circular economy across Australia.
Energy Savings Statistics
- Recycling cardboard saves up to 95% of the energy compared to producing new cardboard from raw materials
- Sustainability Victoria reports that in 2023–24, initiatives to recover resources (including paper) helped avoid 395,988 tonnes CO₂-e, largely driven by energy saved through recycling and reprocessing
Water Conservation Impact
According to Sustainability Victoria, recycling paper saves approximately 31,780 litres of water per tonne compared to producing virgin paper from raw materials.
Forest Preservation Benefits
Using recycled paper saves trees. For every 100 reams of recycled office paper that is printed doubled‑sided, it will save two trees, more than one tonne of greenhouse gas and almost a cubic metre of landfill space (Planet Ark – recyclingnearyou.com.au).
Business Paper Recycling Solutions
Office Paper Collection
Regular collection services designed to gather everyday office paper waste for recycling, helping businesses reduce landfill and promote sustainability. Bin sizes can vary from 120L up to 1000L
Secure Document Destruction
Specialised shredding and disposal services that securely destroy confidential documents while ensuring the shredded paper is recycled responsibly. Lockable bins are available for secure document disposal.
Cardboard Waste Management
Dedicated programs to collect, flatten, and recycle cardboard packaging and boxes, often from shipping and storage, to keep bulky waste out of landfill. Cardboard cages are generally available for this type of recycling.
Australian Paper Recycling Statistics & Targets
According to the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation’s (APCO) 2022–23 report, 65% of paper and paperboard packaging was collected for recycling, slightly down from 68% in 2021–22. Paper and paperboard make up over half of all packaging on the Australian market, highlighting the importance of improving recycling rates.
Need more information?
If you are interested in finding out more about recycling paper and cardboard and how it could be set up in your business please contact us.
