It’s no surprise that buildings these days are burdened by cardboard boxes. “In 2005, the average New York City household was putting out 35 pounds of cardboard a year,” said Joshua Goodman, spokesman for the Department of Sanitation. “In 2023, it was 97 pounds.”

But a more notable factoid emerged from the department’s most recent waste characterization report, from 2023, which included an income breakdown. As income rose, so did the amount of recycled cardboard.

That finding “rings true with what we see on the ground,” said Michael Crespo, president of Citadel Property Management Corp. “It’s what you’d expect from more frequent online ordering in higher-income properties.”

While wealthier residents recycle more, they also have a lot of help doing it. Their buildings typically are set up for proper waste disposal, including specialized equipment and staff to handle outgoing trash.

Cardboard is lightweight but bulky; preparing it for pickup is labor-intensive. It must be flattened and bundled with twine — never tape — according to the city. With his cardboard load nearly doubling during holiday season, Mr. Crespo said his building staffers must contend with “more box breakdowns and more trips to the recycling area.”

Sturdy boxes with structural support, such as brackets, are especially difficult. Nails and staples can stab. Enormous, unwieldy boxes require the use of a box cutter or blade. “Flat-screen TV boxes are always a thorn in our side,” said Dominick Romeo, the activist superintendent who ran unsuccessfully for City Council last month.

To handle the crush of cardboard, large buildings are turning to balers, said Jeffrey Poirot, senior vice president of new development at FirstService Residential. He oversees 520 Fifth Avenue, Midtown’s just-opened mixed-use supertall tower, with 100 luxury condominium residences. The building was designed with space for a baler.

“These balers have been a huge help for the staff,” he said. “That operation needs to have the ability to press cardboard. It comes out like a brick.”