Recycling Q&A

While you’re sipping your latte, you may wonder are paper cups recyclable? Yes, paper cups are recyclable! There are currently more than 30 mills across North America recycling paper cups. The fiber from those cups is then used to make tissue, paper and paper packaging.  

One of the questions we commonly receive is how do I recycle a paper padded mailer. The answer depends on what type of mailer you received. We help explain what to do for the three most common mailers.

Love may be a battlefield but paper recycling doesn’t have to be. Never fear, we’re here to help you with the greatest love story of all time: the recycling bin and your paper products. They’re a match made at the MRF. Always be sure to check your local recycling guidelines before recycling.

Paper products like cardboard boxes, pizza boxes, mail and paper bags are widely accepted in recycling programs throughout the U.S. So what do you do if you don’t have access to a curbside recycling program?  

Question: After your recycling is picked up, where does it go? Answer: Once the recycling truck has picked up your paper and other recyclables, it heads over to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).

We get a lot of questions about is this recyclable or not. We also see a lot of things put into the recycling bin that might be considered outrageous. Learn the difference between accepted for recycling and recyclable.

Industry experts weigh in to answer if masks belong in the recycling bin.

During the holidays, our homes are filled with cards from family and friends, cardboard boxes from shopping online to find the right gift and wrapping materials to make sure it’s a surprise. Many of these items are recycled at paper mills across the country but some are not. 

Let’s do a quick survey – how many trash bins do you have in your home? Now, how many recycling bins do you have? Odds are, one of these numbers is greater than the other. Why is that? You’re likely throwing away paper products or packaging that can be recycled.  

Many of us have a pile somewhere in our homes where we stack our mail. Bills, advertisements, magazines and catalogs, a card and maybe an exciting online purchase that came in a box or padded envelope. With some of these items, you may be wondering if it is okay to toss them in your recycling bin.

Is this cardboard box recyclable? YES, cardboard is built to be recycled. In fact, cardboard packaging can be recycled 5 to 7 times! Here’s how to do it right.