After moving into a new flat, a homeowner was left with an enormous amount of cardboard and no way to dispose of it. The council refused to collect the excess because it would not fit inside a bin with the lid shut. Without a vehicle or a valid licence to rent one, the resident was stranded without a solution.
According to waste specialists at Wheeldon Brothers, this predicament is relatively widespread.
Why Councils Limit Cardboard Collections
A spokesperson for the company said: "After moving it's completely normal to be left with dozens of cardboard boxes. The problem is that many people assume bin crews will take everything in one go, but that's often not how collections work."
"Most councils have limits on how much recycling they'll collect, and large amounts of cardboard can quickly exceed those limits," they added.
The Cost of Private Collection
In this case, the resident ended up spending £105 for a private contractor to collect the surplus cardboard, the most affordable quote available. Other firms quoted as much as £150 for removal.
The boxes had to be carried down four flights of stairs and placed outside for collection. By the afternoon, they had all disappeared.
Tips to Improve the Chances of Collection
For those with smaller quantities, the spokesperson advised flattening all cardboard boxes and removing any polystyrene or soft plastics from the cardboard.
"Flattening boxes isn't just about saving space in your wheelie bin. It helps maximise space in the collection vehicle too. If cardboard is left in large, bulky pieces, crews may have to leave it behind because there simply isn't enough room," they explained.
"Moving inevitably creates more waste than normal, but planning ahead makes a big difference. Flatten boxes, remove packaging materials and check your council's recycling guidance. If you've got far more cardboard than your bin can accommodate, a trip to the local recycling centre is often the quickest and easiest solution."
