You’ve just finished the last slice of pizza and are about to throw the box away? Wait! It isn’t destined to be trash! Pizza boxes are made of cardboard, and theoretically, paper is recyclable. But is this always the case? Keep reading to find the answer to cardboard pizza box recycling!
In this article:
Are Pizza Boxes Recyclable?
Yes, pizza boxes are recyclable! Being made of cardboard, they can be recycled and reproduced into paper containers at paper mills. According to the American Forest & Paper Association, over 80% of Americans can recycle corrugated pizza boxes within their local recycling system.
This association also reveals that each year, Americans throw away 3 billion pizza boxes, equivalent to 600,000 tons of corrugated cardboard that can be recycled. So, recycling these boxes greatly contributes to a cleaner environment.
That said, you can’t toss all the boxes into the blue bin just to feel less guilty about the pizza last night! Those with grease and cheese are another story.
What About Greasy Pizza Boxes?
Whether greasy pizza boxes can be recycled or not is more complicated than just a yes or no.
Little did you know paper mills and recycling programs used to reject corrugated pizza boxes due to grease and cheese residues.
Why? When these boxes are transported to paper mills, they’ll be piled up in the warehouse for weeks before being recycled. The greasy boxes, along with any remaining food scraps, are the breeding ground for insects and other animals.
So, they have to take a soapy bath to remove any contaminants. This is when the leftover oil becomes afloat, making it impossible to be separated from the paper fibers. Remember, it only takes a single food scrap to ruin the whole batch of recyclables. Thus, it wasn’t worth the effort for paper mills to accept corrugated pizza boxes back then.
What worsens the problem is the so-called “wish-cycling” or “aspirational recycling.” This means that people tend to throw whatever they think can be recycled (or wish to recycle) into the recycling bin. However, those items, including greasy pizza boxes, were considered non-recyclable. As a result, many councils refused to empty any recycling bins with those cardboard boxes.
But the good news is that pizza boxes with a small amount of grease and cheese can now be recycled, as claimed by the American Forest & Paper Association. Currently, recycling facilities tend to screen out cheese as it solidifies during the pulping process. In some plants, the volume of paper they collect is so small that it can’t affect other recyclables in the end.
A WestRock study also suggests that any pizza boxes with no more than 2% grease are deemed recyclable. This is totally acceptable since the average grease content in those cardboard boxes only hovers around 1-2%, meaning that most of them can be processed at paper mills without hassle.
How Do You Recycle Pizza Boxes Correctly?
Done with your pizza? Don’t toss the box into the blue bin without a second look! Make sure you have removed all the crust, pepperoni, or any other toppings. They are all 3D waste and can contaminate other recycling items. These boxes don’t have to be spotless, though (they are still garbage, after all). Finally, this is optional, but you can flatten them to save space.
What if the bottom is too greasy (say, more than 2% of grease)? In this case, trim off any greasy parts and throw them into a regular garbage bin. Then, the remaining can go into the recycling bin as normal. If the boxes are overly soggy, you’d better treat them as trash to not risk spoiling the entire batch of recyclables.
Recently, many pizzerias have updated their boxes in favor of recycling. In particular, there’s an additional removable layer of corrugated cardboard at the bottom. Once finished with the pizza, you can remove this layer and throw it into a regular bin. Then, the whole box is still clean and can be recycled.
Important Note: Remember to check the recycling guidelines at your local to ensure that the council accepts greasy pizza boxes.
FAQs
Are Pizza Boxes Compostable?
Basically, yes. Corrugated pizza boxes are made of paper, so they are compostable. However, it should be relatively clean, with minimal grease or food residue. You have to cut off heavily greased or food-soiled portions of the box and throw them in the trash first. Also, these boxes must be free of wax or plastic coatings before being composted.
What To Do If My Local Doesn’t Accept Pizza Boxes?
If your local recycling facilities refuse corrugated pizza boxes, simply toss them in the trash. You can also contact the local government for more help. Or, you can send them the AF&PA’s guidance to update the local recycling program.
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