Is a Pizza Box Recyclable?
Yes, If You Recycle It Right
Pizza night is a favorite in many households. But when the last slice is gone, you might wonder, can that greasy pizza box go in the recycling bin? Good news: yes, it can.
A study found that typical amounts of grease and cheese on pizza boxes are not a problem for paper mills. In fact, paper mills want these boxes back to recycle them—as long as you finish that pizza first!
Before you toss your pizza box in the recycling bin, here’s what to do:
- Remove leftover pizza slices or crusts
- Remove any liners, plastic supports or dipping cups
That’s it! The spots with grease and little bits of cheese can stay. Paper mills are equipped to handle it.
Why Recycling Pizza Boxes Matters
Each year, about 3 billion pizza boxes are used in the U.S. That adds up to about 600,000 tons of cardboard, a big opportunity for recycling. Yet not all of it gets collected. That’s because there’s still some confusion about whether pizza boxes can be recycled.
Here are the facts:
- 82% of Americans have access to a community recycling program that accepts pizza boxes
- Some communities may have contracts with recycling services that don’t take pizza boxes
What does that mean for you? First, it’s always a good idea to check your local guidelines. When you recycle right, you help make the system work better for everyone.
If your recycling program doesn’t accept pizza boxes, share our guidance with your local government or recycling hauler to help explain why they should.