TIMES RECORD • April 27, 2021
Pizza boxes are less damaging than we’ve been led to believe. The reason we don’t recycle greasy boxes is that the grease is made up of chemicals that, in sufficient concentration, will interfere with inter-fiber bonding that results in loss of strength in the paper made with those recycled materials. So, if the box contains a couple of small spots of grease, it can be recycled. If more than that, or if other food scraps are involved, then the contaminated portion of the box needs to be trashed or composted. ~ Harry Hopcroft, Brunswick Recycling and Sustainability Committee