Cardboard Bale Buying Guide
OCC grades, baler types, bale weights, and commodity pricing
A cardboard bale is compressed Old Corrugated Containers (OCC) that have been run through a baler and strapped with wire for transport. Bales are sold as a recyclable commodity by weight — typically per ton — to paper mills, brokers, and recyclers who pulp the fiber back into new containerboard. The price you get (or pay) depends on grade, bale quality, and where the OCC commodity market is trading that month.
Key takeaways
- OCC is graded by the ISRI Scrap Specifications Circular: #11 OCC is standard old corrugated; #12 DS-OCC (Double-Sorted) is cleaner and commands a higher price per ton.
- A mill-size balefrom a horizontal baler typically weighs 1,000–1,500 lb and measures roughly 60″ × 30″ × 48″ — what most paper mills prefer.
- Contamination (wax boxes, plastic, trash, wet board) is the fastest way to downgrade a bale or have a load rejected at the mill.
- Loose (unbaled) OCC is worth significantly less per ton than baled material because of the added handling cost for the buyer.
OCC grades
The recycling industry uses the ISRI Scrap Specifications Circular to define paper and fiber grades. For corrugated, two grades dominate commercial transactions:
| #11 OCC | #12 DS-OCC | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Old Corrugated Containers | Double-Sorted Old Corrugated Containers |
| Description | Used corrugated with outer liners intact. May include kraft paper bags. Free of prohibitives. | OCC sorted a second time to remove contaminants and non-OCC fiber. Cleaner, more consistent. |
| Typical contaminant limit | Prohibitives ≤1%, outthrows ≤5% | Tighter — near-zero non-OCC fiber |
| Relative market value | Baseline | Premium (varies by region and market) |
| Common seller | Retailers, distributors, manufacturers | Specialty recyclers, high-volume generators with sorting lines |
Most businesses generating corrugated waste — distribution centers, grocery stores, manufacturers — produce #11 OCC. Double-sorted #12 requires a dedicated sorting step to pull out non-corrugated fiber, plastic film, and other contaminants, which is why it commands a premium: the mill needs less prep work.
Baler types and bale specs
The baler you use determines bale size, weight, and how attractive your material is to buyers. Paper mills specify “mill-size bales” because they run through automated handling equipment — undersized or irregular bales slow down the mill and are often penalized or rejected.
| Vertical baler | Horizontal baler | |
|---|---|---|
| Bale size | Varies; typically 30″–36″ tall | Mill-size: ~60″ × 30″ × 48″ |
| Bale weight | ~300–800 lb (manual tie) | ~1,000–1,500 lb (auto-tie) |
| Throughput | Low to medium | High (continuous feed) |
| Wire tying | Manual (operator ties each bale) | Automatic |
| Typical user | Retail stores, small warehouses | Distribution centers, MRFs, large manufacturers |
| Mill acceptance | Sometimes — depends on mill | Preferred / standard |
Contamination: the biggest value killer
How OCC commodity pricing works
OCC trades as a commodity — prices move monthly based on export demand (particularly from Asia), domestic mill capacity, and seasonal volume fluctuations. Prices are quoted per ton and published by indices such as RISI (now Fastmarkets RISI) and reported by regional brokers.
Key pricing factors:
- Grade— DS-OCC (#12) consistently trades above standard OCC (#11) in the same market.
- Bale quality— mill-size, tightly baled, clean material commands full index price. Loose, small, or contaminated material is discounted or requires the seller to pay for disposal.
- Location and freight— proximity to a domestic mill or export port moves the net price significantly. A ton of OCC worth $90 at the mill may net $60 after trucking 200 miles.
- Volume commitment— brokers and mills offer better rates for consistent volume on a weekly or monthly contract versus spot loads.
For transporting full truckloads of bales, see the freight guide. OCC bales ship at standard flatbed or dry-van rates, but payload weight (not cube) usually fills a trailer before you run out of space — especially with heavier mill-size bales.
Buy or sell cardboard bales
Connect with verified recyclers, brokers, and mills buying OCC bales — or find a source of clean bales for your operation.