Starting a recycling program for your business sounds like a big undertaking. It doesn’t have to be. Most businesses already have the raw material — they’re just throwing it away instead of capturing value from it.
This guide walks through how to build a practical recycling program from the ground up, whether you’re a single-location retailer generating cardboard every day or a multi-site operation handling mixed materials at scale.
Step 1 — Audit Your Waste Stream
Before you buy equipment, sign contracts, or talk to haulers, spend a week looking at what you’re actually throwing away.
Walk your facility and answer these questions:
- What materials are you generating in the highest volume? Cardboard, plastic film, plastics, paper, metal, food waste?
- Where are those materials being generated — receiving dock, production floor, back of house?
- How are they currently being handled — loose in a dumpster, manually broken down, already sorted?
- What does your current disposal cost look like per month?
This doesn’t need to be a formal audit. A rough picture of your top two or three waste streams is enough to make smart decisions about what to tackle first.
The most common answer for retail, grocery, distribution, and manufacturing: cardboard is the highest-volume material, and it’s already being generated in a consistent, manageable way. That’s where most business recycling programs start — and where the fastest return on investment usually is.
Step 2 — Identify Your Recyclable Materials and Their Value
Not all recyclable materials are equal. Some have consistent commodity value. Others cost money to recycle. Knowing the difference shapes what you prioritize.
Materials with commodity value (you may get paid or reduce disposal costs):
- Corrugated cardboard (OCC) — consistently the most valuable for most businesses
- Clean plastic film (LDPE) — valuable in volume if kept clean and dry
- Aluminum — high value per pound
- Scrap metal — value varies by market
Materials that reduce disposal costs but may not generate revenue:
- Mixed paper
- Plastics #1–7
- Glass (in many markets)
Materials that require special handling:
- Electronics, batteries, fluorescent lights — regulated disposal, not curbside recycling
Your hauler or a local recycling coordinator can tell you what’s currently marketable in your area and at what price. Markets shift — what’s worthless one year can be valuable the next.
Step 3 — Talk to Your Waste Hauler
Your current waste hauler is often the fastest path to getting a recycling program started. Many haulers offer recycling pickup as a service — either as an add-on to existing service or as a replacement for some of your trash volume.
Ask them:
- Do you offer single-stream or separated recycling pickup?
- What materials do you accept?
- What container sizes are available, and what are the pickup frequencies?
- How does recycling pickup pricing compare to my current trash disposal cost?
In many cases, diverting materials from trash to recycling reduces your overall disposal costs — because recycling pickup is cheaper per yard than landfill disposal, and you’re putting less volume into your trash containers.
If your volume is high enough, you may reach a point where baling your own materials and selling them directly to a recycler or broker is more profitable than paying a hauler to take them. That’s where equipment comes in.
Step 4 — Decide Whether Equipment Makes Sense
For low-volume operations, loose material pickup from a hauler is the right starting point. For higher-volume operations, equipment changes the economics significantly.
A vertical baler typically makes sense when:
- You’re generating 10–20+ cardboard boxes per day consistently
- You’re paying for multiple dumpster pickups per week
- You have the floor space for a baler (as little as 5’x5′ footprint for a vertical unit)
- You have staff who can be trained to operate it
What a baler does for your operation:
- Compresses loose cardboard and other materials into dense, uniform bales
- Dramatically reduces the volume going into your dumpsters — cutting disposal costs
- Produces bales that haulers will pick up for free (or pay for, depending on commodity prices)
- Keeps your receiving and back-of-house areas cleaner and more organized
Equipment options at different scales:
| Volume | Equipment | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Low–medium | Vertical baler | Most common starting point; low footprint, easy to operate |
| Medium–high | Horizontal baler | Higher throughput; auto-tie options available |
| High volume | Two-ram baler | Large operations, MRFs, distribution centers |
Renting a baler before committing to a purchase is an option worth considering — it lets you confirm that your volume justifies the equipment before making a capital commitment. Altitude Recycling offers baler rentals across Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nebraska, Kansas, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Step 5 — Set Up Collection Points Inside Your Facility
Equipment is only useful if your team is actually using it. The practical side of a recycling program is getting materials from where they’re generated to where they can be processed.
What works:
- Designated collection bins at each point of generation (receiving dock, production line, break room)
- Clear signage on what goes where — color coding helps
- A set process for who moves material from collection points to the baler or container
- A regular schedule (daily, end of shift, or as needed) for compacting or consolidating material
What doesn’t work:
- Expecting employees to figure it out without a system
- Mixing contaminating materials (food waste, liquids) with clean recyclables — contaminated loads get rejected
- No one assigned ownership of the recycling process
Someone on your team needs to own this — even part-time. It doesn’t need to be a full-time role, but it needs to be someone’s job.
Step 6 — Train Your Team
A recycling program lives or dies on whether your employees understand it and follow it. Training doesn’t have to be complicated.
Cover the basics:
- What materials go in the recycling stream and what doesn’t
- How to break down cardboard (if you’re not using a baler)
- How to safely load and operate a baler, if applicable
- Who to contact if something is wrong or a container is full
Post clear signage at collection points and at the baler. Laminated signs with photos of acceptable and unacceptable materials work better than text-only instructions.
Revisit training when you onboard new employees and when you make changes to your program.
Step 7 — Track Your Results
Once your program is running, track a few basic numbers:
- How much material are you diverting per month (bale count, weight, or estimated volume)?
- What has happened to your disposal costs?
- Are you generating any revenue from bale sales?
You don’t need a sophisticated tracking system. A simple log of bale counts and a monthly comparison of disposal invoices tells you whether the program is working and where the value is coming from.
For businesses with sustainability reporting requirements or ESG goals, this data becomes documentation of your environmental impact — tons of material diverted from landfill, reduction in carbon associated with virgin material production, and so on.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Starting too big. Pick one or two materials, get those right, then expand. Trying to recycle everything at once creates confusion and contamination.
Ignoring contamination. One contaminated load can make an entire container unrecyclable. Train your team on what can and can’t go in the stream.
Buying equipment before confirming volume. A baler that sits idle because your volume doesn’t justify it is an expensive mistake. Start with hauler pickup and add equipment when the volume clearly supports it — or rent first.
Not assigning ownership. Recycling programs that don’t have someone responsible for them deteriorate quickly. Assign it, even informally.
Not negotiating with haulers. Haulers compete for commercial accounts. Once you have volume to offer, get competitive quotes.
Ready to Add a Baler to Your Recycling Program?
If your business is generating consistent cardboard, plastic, or other recyclable materials, a baler likely pays for itself faster than you’d expect. Altitude Recycling Equipment sells, rents, and services balers across Colorado and the surrounding region — and we’ll tell you honestly if your volume doesn’t justify the equipment yet.
Call: 720-545-5348
Email: sales@altituderecycling.com
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to start a recycling program for a business?
Starting costs vary widely depending on what you’re recycling and whether you need equipment. A basic program using hauler pickup for cardboard can start at little to no upfront cost. Adding a vertical baler typically runs $8,000–$25,000 for a used or new unit, with rental options available to avoid upfront capital.
What materials can businesses recycle?
The most common and valuable materials for commercial recycling are corrugated cardboard (OCC), clean plastic film, aluminum, and mixed metals. Mixed paper, plastics #1–7, and glass can often be recycled but may have lower or no commodity value depending on your local market.
Do I need a baler to start a recycling program?
No. Many businesses start with loose material pickup through their hauler and add a baler later when volume justifies it. A baler makes the most sense when you’re generating enough material that the reduction in disposal costs or bale revenue offsets the equipment cost.
How long does it take to set up a business recycling program?
A basic program — material audit, hauler conversation, collection point setup, and staff training — can be implemented in two to four weeks. Adding equipment takes longer depending on sourcing and installation.
Does Altitude Recycling serve my area?
We serve Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nebraska, Kansas, Arizona, and New Mexico for equipment sales, rentals, and service. Baling wire ships nationwide. Call us and we’ll tell you what we can do for your location.
Altitude Recycling Equipment — Aurora, CO
Recycling Balers, Baling Wire, Equipment Rentals & Service Since 2010
Serving CO, WY, UT, NE, KS, AZ & NM — Equipment & Wire Available Nationwide
720-545-5348 | sales@altituderecycling.com