A Pizza Hut Box’s Trip from Table, to Recycling, to Table Again
A collaborative initiative between Pizza Hut and Smurfit WestRock aims to enhance pizza box recyclability, addressing challenges and promoting sustainable practices across diverse U.S. municipalities.
"It's not a myth, we do use it when it's picked up from your curbside," said Lisa Bowles Smurfit WestRock at SPC Advance of pizza boxes in recycling streams.
Lisa Bowles from Smurfit WestRock and Emily True from Pizza Hut were at SPC Advance last week to explain an ambitious project that could reshape the way pizza boxes are perceived and handled among both consumers and recyclers.
Recently rebranded Smurfit WestRock now has 63 paper mills and more than 500 converting facilities, processing more than 15 million tons of recycled fiber annually. “It's not a myth,” Bowles said, “we do use it when it's picked up from your curbside.”
Meanwhile, Pizza Hut has more than 6,000 locations in the U.S. alone, so it serves up a lot of pizzas every year. More broadly, up to 3 billion pizzas are sold annually in the U.S. across the pizza category. This translates to approximately 600 million tons of fiber that could potentially be recycled.
The collaboration between the two aims to address a big question consumers grapple with after they order carryout or delivery: Are pizza boxes recyclable? Bowles explained, “We've actually proven, we've done studies internally and we've had our studies endorsed by the American Forest and Paper Association.”The project took root in Louisville, a city where both companies have significant operations. “Having community leaders, municipalities, waste haulers, side by side competitors, both of our teams, the MRF employees, and we just aligned together,” True said.
“We want to use that innovation to bring information to the consumer's hands, right when they want it,” True said. This approach not only addresses immediate recycling challenges but also fosters long-term behavioral change among consumers.
The collaboration between Pizza Hut and Smurfit WestRock demonstrates the potential for industry partnerships to drive systemic change. By working together, these companies are able to leverage their combined resources and influence to address complex recycling issues that no single entity could tackle alone. This partnership serves as a model for other industries looking to enhance their sustainability efforts through collaboration.
The initiative sheds light on the broader implications of recycling practices in the U.S., where inconsistencies in municipal recycling programs pose significant challenges. The project in Louisville serves as a microcosm of the larger national issue, highlighting the need for standardized recycling practices across different regions. By demonstrating success in one city, the initiative aims to inspire other municipalities to adopt similar practices, thereby creating a more cohesive national recycling framework.
The project emphasizes also the role of technology in modern recycling efforts. The use of QR codes on pizza boxes represents a step towards integrating digital solutions into traditional recycling practices. This technological integration not only enhances consumer engagement but also provides valuable data that can be used to refine and improve recycling processes. As technology continues to evolve, its role in facilitating sustainable practices is likely to expand, offering new opportunities for innovation in the field.
Plus there are potential economic benefits behind improved recycling practices. By increasing the amount of recycled fiber that is reintroduced into the production cycle, companies can reduce their reliance on virgin materials, which can be more costly or environmentally taxing to produce. This shift not only supports environmental sustainability but also offers a more cost-effective solution for manufacturers, potentially leading to savings that can be passed on to consumers.
True and Bowles say their collaboration underscores the importance of community engagement in achieving recycling goals. By involving local stakeholders, such as community leaders and waste haulers, the project ensures that the solutions developed are tailored to the specific needs and challenges of each region. This localized approach not only increases the likelihood of success but also fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility among community members, further enhancing the project's impact. PW
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The project took root in Louisville, a city where both companies have significant operations. “Having community leaders, municipalities, waste haulers, side by side competitors, both of our teams, the MRF employees, and we just aligned together,” True said.
