NUMBER OF THE DAY
A Massive Cardboard Thievery Ring, By the Numbers
The recycling industry is hurting as cardboard thieves make off with millions of dollars worth of old boxes
67,000 tons. That’s the amount of cardboard waste meant for recycling that a gang in Madrid, Spain, allegedly stole and shipped to Southeast Asia every year since 2015 for an average of about $12 million per year, according to the BBC. So far, Spain has arrested 42 people in connection with the crime.
Recycling may not seem like big business, but the value of the (legitimate) global paper and cardboard recycling business is expected to grow to $5.4 billion by 2024, up from $4.3 billion in 2017. The theft of the so-called beige gold deprives legitimate recyclers and local governments of valuable revenue. It’s a crime that’s by no means unique to Europe. Bloomberg CityLab reported in 2012 on how “cardboard rustling” was rampant in American cities as well. As the pandemic caused a sudden spike in the number of people getting goods delivered to their door, the BBC reported that the price of cardboard spiked as well.
While recycling has positive consequences for the planet, it’s ultimately a business, one that runs on slim margins and has grown less viable over the years, especially…
