
Once you’ve moved and unpacked, we’ll collect the empty boxes from your location. A single Ecobox can, for example, hold the contents of a small chest of drawers, 245 DVD cases or 120 neatly folded t-shirts. Ecoboxes are also useful as plastic storage boxes, for short or longer-term storage.Įach Ecobox has a 70-litre capacity and standard dimensions of 600 x 400 x 400 mm. You can use our Ecoboxes to move just about anything, including items that may be too fragile or too heavy for standard cardboard boxes. 1600 kWh of energy (400 times the 4 kWh of energy used to produce a cardboard box) – that’s about six months’ worth of energy for a small household.8000 litres of water (400 times the 20 litres of water used to produce a single cardboard box).Using rough averages, a single Ecobox could save as much as: However, because each Ecobox can be used up to 400 times, it saves significantly on the water and energy used to manufacture each cardboard box. Unlike cardboard, plastic can take a very long time indeed to biodegrade. Environmental pros and cons of EcoboxesĮcoboxes are made of plastic, which is a petrochemical product.
#Does cardboard decompose free
The good news is that South Africa is recycling a good proportion of all cardboard waste – although the recycling process itself uses water and energy.Īt Ecobox, we offer clients who buy our cardboard boxes a free cardboard recycling service. This reduces the life span of cardboard boxes and their potential for reuse. Also, if a cardboard box is overloaded or subject to wear and tear over time, its bottom may give way. Manufacturing a single cardboard box equivalent in size to one Ecobox takes an estimated average of about 20 litres of water and 4 kWh of energy.Ĭardboard is susceptible to damage from moisture and mildew, and may be bent out of shape.

Also, cardboard that’s contaminated with waxes, foils, laminates, glues or pollutants like oils may not be as readily broken down.Įnvironmentally, disadvantages of cardboard include: It’s worth noting that tightly packed sheets of cardboard take much longer to decompose – potentially up to several years.

In a home garden, for example, shredded cardboard that’s used as mulch and regularly watered may break down completely within just a few months.

Environmental pros and cons of cardboardĪ significant advantage of cardboard is that it’s biodegradable and breaks down comparatively fast. We offer cardboard boxes for sale rather than rent.įrom an environmental perspective, both options have pros and cons. They’re recyclable and biodegradable, but their potential for reuse is more limited. We offer Ecoboxes for rent only.Ĭardboard boxes are, of course, made from trees. They can be reused up to 400 times each and the plastic is fully recyclable. So how do Ecoboxes compare to cardboard moving boxes – and which are the most environmentally responsible choice? How do Ecoboxes compare to cardboard boxes?Įcoboxes are made of strong plastic. They’re sealable, stackable and fully recyclable. Our Ecoboxes are sturdy plastic moving boxes, ideal for use when moving home or offices.
