Recycling That Greasy Pizza Box? “Don’t Worry About It!”

John J. Doherty, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Sanitation

Given the age-old debate about the recyclability of pizza boxes, the title of my blog this week might peak the attention (and criticism) of just a few of my 'za- and earth-loving friends out there. I'm hoping so, of course, because what's a blog without some extreme opinions and lively debate? But, before my compatriots jump to the comments section to refute too quickly... I'll acquiesce a little. My title is true only sometimes. Here is the truth:

There is no universal answer to the question as to whether pizza boxes are recyclable.

Put simply, in some municipalities pizza boxes are recyclable; in others, they are not. Many bloggers out there have tried to clear up this longstanding debate. They have failed miserably, however, by making blanket statements on the subject that supposedly apply to every single municipality in the country. This is irresponsible, in my opinion, given the simple statement I note above (i.e. that there is no single correct answer). To prove this point, I took a few minutes to find out more about the different recycling policies of various municipalities. Here is what I learned:

New York City: Recycle it. John J. Doherty, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Sanitation put it best: "Don't worry about it! Into the recycling bin...and it goes back through the process and out as a new pizza box!"

San Francisco: Compost it. Through its three-cart program (black cart for landfill items, blue cart for recycling items and green cart for compostable items), pizza boxes are placed in the green cart then turned into organic compost for farming.

Philadelphia: Toss it. There's no love for pizza boxes here. According to the city's website, pizza boxes are not recyclable and end up in landfill with the regular trash. 


So there you have it. Three cities with three different recycling practices for pizza boxes. What's the moral here? It is the responsibility of all pizza operators to educate their customers about the acceptable recycling practices of their communities. Don't take the easy way out and listen to the weberalities (my new term for web generalities)... get the facts!


What's your city's policy regarding the recycling of pizza box? Leave your comment below.

Ecovention, LLC Announces Launch of PERFORMANCE Foodservice/ROMA Food’s Multifunctional “Serve & Store” Pizza Box

In partnership with manufacturing partners Pratt Industries and Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation (NYSE: SSCC), Ecovention, LLC is pleased to announce the launch of the ROMA “Serve & Store” pizza box.  Available exclusively through PERFORMANCE Foodservice/ROMA Food, the ROMA “Serve & Store” is based on Ecovention’s patented GreenBox technology.  Easy to assemble, the ROMA “Serve & Store” breaks down into plates and a smaller container for leftovers, eliminating the need for disposable plates and ancillary storage materials like aluminum foil and plastic wrap.  The technology elevates take-out pizza to a new level of convenience and creates an effective source of differentiation for pizzerias, restaurants and chains.

The technology utilized by the ROMA Food “Serve & Store” has already received an enthusiastic response from both restaurants and consumers after being placed in the spotlight by Ashton Kutcher via a ‘tweet’ to his Twitter followers.  Since then, it has been the subject of various news segments and newspaper articles, has been featured in hundreds of internet blogs and has been the talk of social networking sites around the world.  The Company’s demonstration video for the GreenBox technology has already garnered over 1 million views on YouTube.

Ecovention, LLC is a design, licensing, manufacturing and subcontract management firm dedicated to improving outmoded, outdated and wasteful food packaging. 

PERFORMANCE Foodservice/ROMA Food, part of the PERFORMANCE Food Group family of distributors, specializes in broadline distribution and Italian and Italian-American food products, and services pizzerias and restaurants throughout the US.

Pratt Industries is the industry’s leading manufacturer of 100% recycled containerboard, corrugated packaging and display solutions in the US.  The company employs more than 3,500 highly skilled “green-collar” employees dedicated to the environment and sustainability.

Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation is one of the industry’s leading integrated containerboard and corrugated packaging producers and one of the world’s largest paper recyclers.  The company is a member of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® and conducts its business in compliance with the environmental, health and safety principles of the American Forest & Paper Association.

Whole Foods GreenBox Part of Brand Packaging's Sustainable Design Gallery

In its April edition every year, Brand Packaging Magazine gives mention to a short list of brands that are "making their mark on the ever-evolving path toward sustainable package design" and which are "thoughtfully incorporating their equities and the needs of consumers into their environmental efforts". Always a top-of-mind-brand when it comes to such criteria, Whole Foods Markets was deservedly, and not surprisingly, included in Brand Packaging magazine's round-up of sustainable packaging solutions. It was, however, the package behind the the organic grocer's mention that got us folks here at Ecovention, LLC quite excited. Yep, you guessed it - it was the GreenBox that caught the attention of Brand Packaging Magazine, and we couldn't be prouder. 


As Brand Packaging Magazine explains so eloquently: "By using 100 percent recycled material, rather than virgin or a mixture of recycled and virgin fiber, the box generates profound environmental benefits: Data from the US Environmental Protection Agency shows that recycling one ton of paper saves three cubic yards of landfill, 4,100 kilowatt hours of electricity, 7,000 gallons of water and 17 mature trees."..."The package also reduces waste by eliminating the need for disposable or ceramic plates, as well as food wrap or foil for leftovers — and it can be recycled or composted in communities with appropriate commercial facilities." We couldn't have said it better ourselves.


So take a few minutes to peruse the simple, elegant GreenBox and the other ingenious packaging designs it is keeping company with in the latest edition of Brand Packaging Magazine (in print or online)... and enjoy a brick oven pizza from Whole Foods while you're at it.