Do I need to remove all the tape from cardboard boxes?

Pull off large amounts of tape, staples, and shipping labels first. Tape wraps around screens and rollers at the sorting facility, and the plastic film survives pulping, so it ends up as specks in the finished paper. Small amounts left behind get screened out.

Can I recycle pizza boxes?

Yes, and you don't need to be as strict about grease as you might think. An industry study found typical amounts of grease and cheese on a pizza box don't interfere with the pulping process. Only trash or compost the box if it's fully soaked and saturated with grease, not just spotted.

What is the actual cardboard recycling rate in the US?

69-74% in 2024, according to the American Forest & Paper Association - higher than paper's overall 60-64% rate. It's reported as a range because of how the rate is calculated: recycled cardboard compared to cardboard available for recovery, which carries some uncertainty. That still makes cardboard one of the highest-performing recyclables by weight.

What's the difference between cardboard and paperboard?

Corrugated cardboard has a wavy layer between two flat sheets, like shipping boxes. Paperboard is a single, denser layer, like cereal boxes. Both are recyclable, but some programs ask you to keep them separate.

Can I recycle cardboard if it gets wet?

A little dampness generally isn't a problem, but cardboard that's soaked through or moldy can't be recycled - the water breaks down the fibers and can contaminate other paper in the load. Let damp cardboard dry out before recycling it, or trash it if it's moldy.

Paper recycling

How to Recycle Cardboard

Corrugated cardboard boxes and packaging materials - one of the highest-performing recyclables in the US, at a 69-74% recycling rate in 2024 (AF&PA), above paper's 60-64% overall rate.

RecyclableUpdated Jul 2026

Quick answer

Yes, clean corrugated cardboard is one of the highest-performing recyclables in the US - a 69-74% recycling rate in 2024, well above paper's 60-64% overall rate (American Forest & Paper Association). Flatten boxes, remove tape and plastic packaging, and keep them dry, then use curbside recycling or take large loads to a recycling center. Pizza boxes count too: typical grease doesn't stop a mill from processing them, only a fully soaked, saturated box needs to be trashed or composted.

Recyclable: Yes

How to Prepare

1Remove tape, staples, plastic packaging, and shipping labels where you can - small amounts get screened out during pulping, but large amounts of tape or foam should still come out
2Cut or tear large boxes into pieces smaller than 3x3 feet
3

How to Recycle Cardboard

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