Dive Brief:

• Fort Collins, CO passed legislation requiring businesses to recycle corrugated cardboard that began in March 2013, and the mandate has proved cost-efficient for some local companies.
• Some companies found that the cost of recycling cardboard is less than the expense of having a hauler remove it, saving businesses money through recycling. Some companies are selling cardboard pieces to recyclers for a profit.
• Fort Collins implemented the mandate to reduce the volume of trash going into landfills, and expects to reach its goal of zero waste by 2030. The city released recycling figures showing a 98.4% increase in the collection of cardboard from 2012 to 2013 as a result of the requirement. 

Dive Insight:

Becca Walkinshaw, a sustainability coordinator for Gallegos Sanitation, told The Coloradoan that the average cost of hauling cardboard is 10% less than removing trash. Moreover, cardboard has been receiving increased attention as a profitable recyclable: Waste Management CEO David Steiner recently told Hydrogen Fuel News that cardboard is the most profitable commodity for the company at this time.