Are Pizza Boxes Recyclable? Pellitteri Sets The Record Straight

FMI:
Joleen Engeseth
Marketing Coordinator
608-257-6232 ext. 346
Joleene@pellitteri.com

Are Pizza Boxes Recyclable? Pellitteri Sets The Record Straight

DANE COUNTY, Wis. (Feb. 4, 2025) —  As we approach National Pizza Day on Sunday, Pellitteri Waste Systems, Inc. — Southern Wisconsin’s leading independent, family-owned and operated waste and recycling service provider — is putting an end to the pizza box debate once and for all. Yes, whole pizza boxes are recyclable. 

Pellitteri customers can now place the entire empty pizza box, even the parts with grease and cheese residue, in their recycling cart or recycling dumpster.

“Not all waste haulers accept pizza boxes,” explains Pellitteri President David Pellitteri. “Across our industry, there have been concerns that grease or cheese residue prevented parts of the box from being made into new paper products. In our company’s efforts to recycle more materials, we choose to work with paper mills in the Midwest that have employed the technology necessary to accept and clean typical levels of grease and cheese residue so that it no longer impacts the recyclability of pizza boxes. That’s why we can now accept the whole box.” 

Whole pizza boxes are the latest addition to Pellitteri’s expanded list of recyclables, which includes these materials that go above and beyond what is required by state law: 

• Hot and cold paper cups
• Paper milk and juice cartons
• Metal pots and pans
• Shredded paper properly prepared in clear plastic bags (no larger than a basketball)
• Small metal appliances like toasters and blenders (no larger than a basketball, no batteries)
• Small metal plumbing fixtures, faucets, valves

Pellitteri can recycle these items because of its focus on using end markets that look to expand recycling opportunities and because Pellitteri continues to invest in technology that allows it to sort additional materials.  

According to the American Forest & Paper Association, pizza boxes are made of high-quality corrugated paper, which can be recycled at least 7 times. A study by WestRock, one of the largest box manufacturers in the U.S., estimates that there are approximately 3 billion pizza boxes used in the U.S. annually, which represents an estimated 600,000 tons of highly desired corrugated material that should be recycled and not needlessly wasted. 

Pellitteri asks its customers to do their part by placing the pizza box in the recycling bin; just remember to remove any remaining food, tissue or plastic centerpieces from the box. You can find more information in this short video. Want to become a Super Recycler? Watch these short recycling tips videos to become a recycling expert!

Pellitteri customers also have a mobile app to verify if items are recyclable and set collection day reminders. Download the app at pellitteri.com/RecycleRight. For more information, visit www.pellitteri.com. *Pizza boxes are recyclable if Pellitteri collects or processes your recycling (City of Madison recycling is processed by Pellitteri); otherwise, check with your local recycling provider to see if they accept pizza boxes in their recycling, as rules vary by local hauler. 

About Pellitteri Waste Systems
Pellitteri Waste Systems, Inc. is a Madison-based, family-owned and operated waste disposal and recycling company focused on providing needs-based solutions and outstanding customer service. Pellitteri has a proud tradition of service and community involvement and currently serves around 80,000 households for waste and recycling collection throughout Southern Wisconsin. Pellitteri offers environmental leadership, stewardship, and innovation, as shown by their constant work to recycle better and more items at their local recycling facility. Pellitteri collects and processes millions of pounds of recycling to be made into new products each year and was a recipient of the following awards in recent years: Recycling Excellence Award from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Outstanding Achievement in Education Award from the Associated Recyclers of Wisconsin, and the Business Friend of the Environment Award from Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. Learn more at www.pellitteri.com/news.

Wisconsin Masonic Center: Casino Night Fundraiser

Tickets On Sale: Madison Black Chamber of Commerce 7th Annual Black Business Awards Dinner 

Madison, WI –  The Madison Black Chamber of Commerce (MBCC) is thrilled to announce that tickets are now available for the 2025 Black Business Awards & Recognition Exhibition, taking place on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at the Monona Terrace. 

This year’s theme, Building Dreams: Honoring the Visionaries Who Build Foundations for Generations to Come, highlights the remarkable contributions of Black-owned businesses in industries like real estate, construction, landscaping, and home improvement.  

The event celebrates these “Dream Builders” for their vital role in strengthening communities, driving economic growth, and inspiring future generations. 

Attendees will enjoy an unforgettable evening featuring: 

• Dream Builders’ Networking Hour to forge meaningful connections 
• Awards Ceremony recognizing excellence in 7+ categories 
• Blueprint Stations showcasing nominees and their achievements 

Tickets are expected to sell out quickly, so don’t wait to secure your spot! Visit https://bbare25.madisonblackchamber.com/ to purchase your tickets today. Individual tickets are available for $150 and tables of 8 are $1,125. 

“The Black Business Awards is more than just an event—it’s a celebration of excellence, resilience, and the visionaries building a brighter future for all of us,” said Camille Carter, President & CEO of the MBCC. “We can’t wait to come together to honor these outstanding leaders and businesses.” 

For more information about the event, sponsorship opportunities, or tickets, please visit: https://bbare25.madisonblackchamber.com/ 

About the Madison Black Chamber of Commerce: The Madison Black Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to promoting economic empowerment and growth for Black-owned businesses in Madison and surrounding communities. Through initiatives like the Black Business Awards, we celebrate achievements, foster connections, and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.

For media inquiries, sponsorship opportunities, or ticket purchases, please contact: 
Tiffany Kenney
Director of Communications
Madison Black Chamber of Commerce   
(608) 843-7079 Cell
tiffany@madisonblackchamber.com

AMC Fitchburg 18 Looking for Concessions Sponsors for Private Abundant Life Movie Screening

AMC Fitchburg 18 is looking for Greater Madison businesses to sponsor concessions for an upcoming private movie screening for the students, staff and families of Abundant Life Christian School (ALCS). AMC is partnering with SONY Pictures to cover the cost of film rent and tickets.

The screening, of “Paddington in Peru,” takes place Saturday, February 22. If your business is interested in sponsoring concessions for this private ALCS event, please contact General Manager Katie Carlson at kcarlson@amctheatres.com.

Hope & A Future III, Inc.: Assisted living alternative? Madison project aims to prove a new model

At 81, retired teacher Christine Cannon is ready to sell her house and move into the senior condo of her dreams.  

The only problem? That condo doesn’t exist yet.  

She and her husband, Ted, 86, already downsized once, leaving a two-story raised ranch house in Middleton 12 years ago for a stair-free, one-story house nearby.

Their current place has a bigger yard than the old one, a plus for Ted, an avid gardener who maintains the half-acre lot himself.  

Cannon knows her husband won’t always be able to handle all the mowing and yard work. But she’s not interested in the sorts of assisted living or nursing facilities her friends and relatives have moved into.  

“So many people just sit around and kind of waste away,” said Cannon, who swims three mornings a week, volunteers for the Middleton-Cross Plains Performing Arts Center and goes for nature walks with her husband. “They don’t develop their minds and bodies through activities.”  

Instead, she has her eye on the backyard of a 19th century farmhouse on Madison’s west side, where nurse Karin Krause and family educator Paula Reif are working to build an “intentional intergenerational neighborhood” they say would be the first of its kind in Wisconsin.

The 19-unit development, slated to break ground next year at 1115 S. High Point Road, would adjoin Krause and Reif’s existing four-bed assisted living home and be part of the same nonprofit, Hope & A Future. The new buildings would include 15 independent living condos for people 55 and up, four rental units of “workforce housing,” a preschool and an adult day care.

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