Can Pizza Boxes Be Recycled?

It is common to find at least one or two empty pizza boxes propped up against a trash can, waiting to be thrown away. However pizza boxes are recyclable and should actually be put in recycle bins. There is a lot of conflicting information and misunderstanding about recycling pizza boxes. In actuality, pizza boxes are basically cardboard corrugated boxes, which have a 92% average recovery rate during recycling.

Nonetheless, it is vital to note that due to concerns about food contamination, certain paper mills and other companies in the recycling business have previously expressed hesitations about accepting pizza boxes. Here are some crucial factors to consider before recycling your pizza boxes.

Check Your Cities Recycling Codes

Different cities have different recycling codes, especially when it comes to types of cardboard boxes. For instance, cities like New York and Chicago believe that corrugated cardboard is the most valuable type of paper due to its long paper fibers and durability. However, others like Texas believe that greasy pizza boxes, in particular, are not reusable. In fact, such cities believe that putting such boxes in recycling bins contaminates other items in the bin.

Generally, recycling is beneficial to everyone since it prevents environmental pollution while also preserving precious resources and generating jobs. Recycling cardboard helps to maintain a clean and natural environment.

A recyclable Westside pizza box with a pepsi bottle and a plate.

What Part of The Box Can You Recycle?

Once you find out that your city code allows the recycling of pizza boxes, you must learn how to recycle them properly. If your pizza box is not that greasy, it is best to remove the food scraps, flatten the box and place it in the recycling bin. Alternatively, if it is too greasy, you should rip off the greasy part of the box, throw it in the trash can, flatten the remaining part, and place it in the recycling bin.

Order The Best Pizza Ever to Get Your Own Box to Recycle

At Westside Pizza, we don’t just put sustainability on you! We make sure that we are doing our part as well. When you eat Westside Pizza, apart from enjoying the tastiest pizza near you, you also have peace of mind that our boxes are made in the USA and are sustainably sourced from the Sustainable Forestry Initiative.

Now if all of this pizza box talk has got you thinking about lunch or dinner, Westside Pizza has you covered! Whether you prefer to dine in or have top notch pizza delivery, Westside Pizza will take your passion and preferences and turn them into delicious pizza products.

Whether you are looking for the best pizza near me or savvy pizza deals, feel free to walk into one of our restaurants or put in your order online. Then if you choose to dine in, that’s one less pizza box to worry about recycling!