Recycling paper and cardboard

Paper and paperboard are the largest single material in U.S. municipal solid waste, and they are also the most recycled by tonnage. Clean cardboard, newspapers, office paper, mail, and magazines are the everyday stream. Food-soaked paper, waxed or plastic-coated cups, and tissue are the usual exceptions. As always, the list for your address is the rule that matters.

What the latest EPA figures show

EPA’s national Facts and Figures are current through calendar year 2018. On the paper and paperboard page, EPA reports:

  • 67.4 million tons generated, or 23.1 percent of all municipal solid waste.
  • About 46 million tons recycled, a 68.2 percent recycling rate — the highest rate among the materials EPA compares in that write-up.
  • Corrugated boxes were recycled at 96.5 percent.
  • Newspapers were recycled at 64.8 percent.
  • Other nondurable paper goods, excluding newspapers, were recycled at 43.1 percent.
  • Paper containers and packaging other than corrugated boxes were recycled at 20.8 percent.
  • About 4.2 million tons were combusted with energy recovery, and 17.2 million tons were landfilled.

EPA’s How do I recycle common recyclables? page gives the same national picture in slightly rounded form: paper makes up 23 percent of trash generated each year, and Americans recycled about 68 percent of the paper they used in 2018. Recovered paper is used to make new paper products.

What usually belongs in the cart

Most community and office programs take some mix of the following, if the paper is clean and dry:

  • Corrugated shipping boxes (often called OCC in the trade).
  • Newspapers and inserts.
  • Office paper, envelopes, and mail. EPA’s guidance is that even envelopes with plastic windows can be recycled.
  • Magazines and catalogs.
  • Paperboard such as cereal and shoe boxes, once plastic liners are removed.

Pizza boxes are a frequent point of confusion. EPA’s current national guidance is that pizza boxes can be recycled, even if they have grease on them, after you remove leftover food and flatten the box. Some local programs still ask you to tear off a badly soaked panel or to leave the box out. Follow the local list if it differs.

These items are commonly left out of the recycling cart:

  • Paper that is wet or soaked with food, such as used paper plates or a box that is still holding leftovers.
  • Facial tissue, napkins, and paper towels. Compost them if your program accepts food-soiled paper; otherwise they are usually trash.
  • Shiny or laminated gift wrap. EPA says that kind of wrap often is not recyclable, and it encourages people to reuse bags, boxes, and tissue, or to use newspaper as wrap.
  • Most paper cups with a plastic or wax lining, unless the local list includes them — many still do not.
  • Shredded paper, which some programs accept in a clear bag or a paper bag and others do not accept at all.

How to prepare paper and cardboard

  1. Keep paper dry. A wet box can ruin a cart full of otherwise good fiber.
  2. Flatten boxes so they take less room and do not trap food.
  3. Remove packing peanuts, plastic liners, and leftover food. A little grease on a pizza box is, under EPA’s current guidance, acceptable after the food is gone; a box that is still a tray of leftovers is not.
  4. Leave window envelopes and ordinary tape or labels on unless your hauler says otherwise.
  5. Put paper loose in the cart, not in a plastic bag, unless your program specifically asks for bagged shredded paper.

Books in usable condition are better donated than recycled. EPA notes that libraries, schools, and nonprofits often take them, and that a hardcover’s cover should be removed if you do recycle the book. For other materials, see Recyclable Materials, How to Recycle?, and Recycling Rules & Etiquette.

Frequently asked questions

Is paper really the most recycled everyday material?

By EPA’s 2018 national figures, yes among the materials on that comparison: 67.4 million tons generated and about 46 million tons recycled, a 68.2 percent rate, the highest EPA lists in that write-up. Corrugated boxes alone were recycled at 96.5 percent. Those are national numbers, not a guarantee that your town matches them.

Can I recycle pizza boxes?

EPA’s current answer is yes, even if they have grease on them, after you remove food scraps and flatten the box. If your local program still says no, follow the local rule.

Can mail and window envelopes go in the bin?

EPA says yes, including envelopes with plastic windows. Confidential mail should be shredded first, and then handled the way your program treats shredded paper.

What about gift wrap?

Plain paper wrap may be recyclable; shiny or laminated wrap often is not. EPA encourages reusing bags, boxes, and tissue, or using newspaper instead of new wrap.

Should I bag my paper or leave it loose?

Leave it loose unless your hauler says otherwise. Plastic bags contaminate paper loads. Shredded paper is the main exception, and only if your program asks you to contain it.