Cardboard disposal — where to drop off boxes for free
Cardboard is the easiest thing in your house to recycle: EPA put the recycling rate for corrugated boxes at 96.5 percent in 2018, the highest of any material. If it doesn't fit in your curbside bin — after a move or the holidays — most dumps, transfer stations and recycling centers take it free.
Short answer
- Flatten it and keep it dry.
- A few boxes: your curbside recycling bin, if you have one.
- A pile of moving boxes: a free drop-off at a recycling center, transfer station or landfill.
- Don't mix it into a trash load. Some landfills ban it or charge extra for loads with cardboard in them.
Where to drop off cardboard for free
Free cardboard drop-off is one of the most common services at public disposal sites. Examples from our directory:
- Fargo, North Dakota: the landfill's Residential Transfer Station is free for Fargo residents for appliances, metal and cardboard.
- Asheville, North Carolina: the Buncombe County transfer station takes cardboard free from residents.
- Meriden, Connecticut: no vehicle fee when you bring only cardboard, brush or electronics.
- Vernon, Connecticut: cardboard, metal and electronics free, no permit needed.
- Conway, New Hampshire: corrugated cardboard free, with the rest of the recycling.
- Sioux City, Iowa: cardboard, leaves, plastic and glass free for residents.
- San Juan County, New Mexico: cardboard, cans and appliances recycled free at every county station.
- Edmond, Oklahoma: a free cardboard, plastic and aluminum drop-off for Edmond trash customers.
- St. Joseph, Missouri: the city Recycling Center takes cardboard Wednesday through Saturday.
Why cardboard doesn't belong in a trash load
Because it recycles so easily, some sites push back when cardboard shows up in garbage:
- Iowa City's landfill won't landfill cardboard at all, and garbage loads with cardboard in them can be charged double.
- Buncombe County charges commercial haulers double for loads more than 5 percent cardboard.
- Gastonia adds a $100 surcharge to containers that are more than 30 percent recyclables such as cardboard.
For a household, the fix is simple: keep the boxes separate, stop at the cardboard bin first, then take the rest to the trash.
Getting it ready
- Break down every box. Flat cardboard takes a fraction of the space and is what drop-off bins expect.
- Pull out the packing: foam, plastic air pillows and bubble wrap aren't cardboard. Our plastic recycling guide covers what's recyclable.
- Keep it dry. Wet cardboard is heavy, messy and harder to recycle.
- Moving soon? Good boxes are worth passing on to the next person who's moving. Our moving cleanout guide covers the rest of the house.
Find a recycling drop-off near you
Enter your city or ZIP for the nearest sites, then check each site's page for cardboard.
Common questions
Where can I drop off cardboard near me?
Most recycling centers, transfer stations and many landfills take cardboard free. Use the finder on this page and check your nearest site's page for cardboard.
Is cardboard recycling free?
Usually. Sites such as Fargo's Residential Transfer Station, the Buncombe County transfer station in Asheville and Sioux City's landfill take it free from residents.
Can cardboard go in the trash?
It shouldn't. Some landfills ban it: Iowa City won't landfill cardboard, and garbage loads with cardboard can be charged double there.
What do I do with a lot of moving boxes?
Flatten them and take them to a free cardboard drop-off, or pass the good ones on to someone else who's moving.
Do I need to flatten cardboard?
Yes. Flattened boxes take far less space and are what curbside bins and drop-off containers expect.