Recycling Pizza Boxes, Is That Allowed In New York State?

I have a weird fascination with watching the County Waste & Recycling trucks pull up to my driveway and dump my cans into their compactor. This being a Thursday I will make sure that all of the garbage pails are emptied for tomorrow's pick up. Part of this ritual is to make sure the proper items are in the recycling bin. You can't just throw anything in there.

Each State has it's own rules and regulations regarding which items are trash and which can be recycled. For example, can you allowed to recycle pizza boxes in New York State?

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There are some items that are obviously not acceptable to recycle in New York while other items you might not be so certain. Here are a few items that are not allowed to be recycled, according to the New York Department of Sanitation;

• Cables, wires and cords
• CDs and DVDs
• Pens and markers
• Batteries
• Window blinds
• Ceramics and plate glass

Which items are allowed to be recycled in New York? Here is a partial list;

• Metal cans
• Glass bottles and jars
• Plastic bottles
• Newspapers and wrapping paper
• Cardboard egg cartons

What makes certain items confusing isn't always the item itself but what may have been in or on the item. Pizza boxes contain the pie that potentially has cheese, sauce, toppings and crumbs. So what do we do with pizza boxes in New York?

YES! You are allowed to recycle pizza boxes in New York State. Be certain to remove the paper lining that the pizza sat on and throw it in the trash. As for the oily box? You are cleared to recycle. Grease does not affect the recyclability of pizza boxes.