Kudos to Matthew Moriarty (March 7) for his good intentions in recycling his stack of pizza boxes.

However, he and many others apparently don't realize that cardboard pizza boxes usually are not recyclable. This is because of the oils and other elements they absorb -- which is, of course, why Mr. Moriarty's boxes still smelled like garlic after sitting on his porch for months.

Absorbed grease and other food remnants not only contaminate and decompose the cardboard but also prohibit the separation of paper fibers necessary for recycling. In fact, because this separation is done by machinery, a large quantity of pizza boxes in a recycling container could render all the cardboard in it unfit for recycling.

As much as I hate to say it, unless you add your pizza boxes to your compost pile (which is the best place for them), they belong in the trash. Putting them into a collection bin with other cardboard can actually hinder recycling efforts, rather than helping.

George W. Bostian

Star