"The basic results are clearly favorable for greater acceptance of pizza boxes for recycling. The typical pizza box has 1% to 2% grease content by weight, which is about one-tenth the acceptable level for cardboard (corrugated paperboard) recycling. The study looked at the impact of greasy boxes on mixed recycling loads that include 8% greasy pizza boxes with varying levels of greasy contamination from between 3% and 40%. The recycled materials produced were still viable for packaging use, well within the tensile strength required for packaging."
"Since the study was released, pizza box recycling acceptance has grown substantially. According to the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), 82% of Americans now have access to a community recycling program that accepts pizza boxes-up from 73% in 2020. AF&PA member company mills representing 94% of old corrugated container consumption now accept pizza boxes with no observed impacts to operations or finished product quality."
A 2020 scientific study found that used pizza boxes are recyclable even when greasy or contaminated with cheese. Typical pizza boxes contain 1% to 2% grease by weight, about one-tenth the acceptable level for corrugated paperboard recycling. Tests with mixed recycling loads including 8% greasy pizza boxes and contamination levels from 3% to 40% produced recycled materials viable for packaging and within required tensile strength. Recycling acceptance has expanded: 82% of Americans now have access to programs that accept pizza boxes and mills representing 94% of consumption accept them without observed impacts. About 3 billion pizza boxes are used annually in the U.S., and improved processes could capture roughly 600,000 tons of cardboard for new paper products. For most Americans, remove leftover pizza and flatten boxes before recycling.
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