With gift giving season here, many people are ordering items delivered in cardboard boxes. This edition of MI Environment covers tips – courtesy of the Recycling Raccoons – on how to best recycle cardboard.

Cardboard is very recyclable, but the rules might be different in your community for refrigerated or frozen cardboard. Check your local rules!

Breaking down cardboard boxes saves space in your cart or bin and in the truck or drop-off collection bin to allow for more cardboard to be recycled.

Food Residue or Contamination

Keeping cardboard clean keeps it recyclable. Try to minimize the amount of food, grease or other contamination on cardboard by rinsing and emptying your containers before recycling them.

Pizza Boxes

Pizza boxes are tricky! Grease and leftover cheese on the bottom of the box typically make for poor-quality recycled material, so it’s best to throw away the contaminated bottom. The top half or lid of a pizza box, however, is usually grease and food free – tear it off and add it to your recycling.

Non-Refrigerated Paperboard or Boxboard

Household and pantry paperboard or boxboard such as Kleenex and cereal boxes are recyclable. Even pasta boxes with windows are A-OK to recycle.

Refrigerated Paperboard or Boxboard

Not every recycling program accepts paperboard or boxboard packages designed to be refrigerated or frozen. Check with your local recycler to determine if it accepts materials such as pop boxes and frozen food boxes.

Cartons

Many curbside programs accept cartons such as juice, milk, cream, broth containers, etc. But other types of cartons, including ice cream and Goldfish crackers, are generally not recyclable because they contain non-paper materials such as plastic or metallic liners. Check with your local drop-off recycling program to confirm if cartons are accepted.

Tape, Staples and Labels

Cardboard with labels, staples and tape is recyclable, but your local provider would appreciate you removing as much as possible before recycling.

Feeling confident about your knowledge of cardboard recycling? Take the quiz provided by the Recycling Raccoons.