Pizza Boxes Alternative ways to recycle Special Instructions Greasy pizza boxes are not recyclable since paper fibers cannot separate from oils during processing. Recycle the Clean Half! If one side of the box is clean, that half can be placed in the recycling. Remove all additional items such as plastic pizza savers (mini tables), parmesan cheese and red pepper packets, napkins, plastic and foam portion cups, and/or similar. Can Athens Compost It? Depending on your city, greasy pizza boxes may be allowed in the organics container. Does my city accept food scraps and food-soiled paper in the organics container? Commercial Accounts: Athens can provide food scrap collection for most business accounts. Check your city for verification. Residential Accounts: Currently, not all cities have added food scrap collection to their services. Check your city for verification. If you do not have an organics container (that also accepts food scraps and food-soiled paper), please place greasy pizza boxes in the trash and never in the recycling container. Reuse It! Pizza boxes can be used in your yard as mulch for barriers against weeds instead of chemicals. They break down in your soil and retain moisture, too! Cut Away Soiled Portions Any part of the pizza box soiled by food residue or grease is not recyclable and can contaminate other clean paper and cardboard. A clean, empty pizza box can be recycled with cardboard, so cut away all soiled portions, or just recycle the top half. LunaseeStudios / Shutterstock.com Frozen Pizza Boxes Contain Plastic Frozen pizza boxes aren’t just paper. They are lined with a layer or two of plastic to help keep preserve contents while frozen. Find out what to do with frozen food boxes. Alternative Ways to Recycle Use as Weed Prevention in Your Garden For any gardener preparing to battle weeds, laying down cardboard below the soil works as weed prevention, pizza boxes included.