Pizza Anyone?

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Whether it be Chicago-style, New York-style or Neopolitan, we all love a good slice of pizza. In fact, over 2.6 billion pizza boxes will be produced annually in the next four years. That’s a lot of pizza.

But what happens to all those used boxes? Grease and cheese contamination has led to misunderstanding and even controversy about their recyclability as some collection facilities won’t accept them. The average corrugated box is made with 50 percent recycled content. If all used pizza boxes were recovered, it is estimated they would amount to almost 5.5% of old corrugated containers (OCC).

That is significant.

Attendees can learn more about the viability of recycling pizza boxes at current and future concentrations in OCC recovered fiber streams during TAPPI’s Pulping, Engineering, Environmental, Recycling and Sustainability (PEERS) Conference, November 2-4. Ashok Ghosh, WestRock, will present “Incorporation of Post-Consumer Pizza Boxes in the Recovered Fiber Stream: Impacts of Grease on Finished Product Quality” as part of the Recycling track. Ghosh will share details of a study that determined typical grease or cheese contamination levels associated with used pizza boxes did not have a significant impact on finished product quality and, therefore, should not be banned from the recycle stream.

PEERS 2020 – Attend Live or Watch Later
This year, PEERS transitions to an all-virtual format creating an opportunity for industry professionals to participate in high quality technical sessions, research, keynote addresses, and networking events without leaving their mill or office. Mills can save money and time while still offering exceptional training opportunities to employees. They can also take advantage of special group pricing. Registered attendees can attend the virtual sessions live or watch them “on demand” up to a year later!

The comprehensive, peer-reviewed program includes tracks focused on the environment and sustainability, pulping, bleaching, engineering, reliability, corrosion, materials, energy, recovery, lime kiln, recaust, nonwoods and more. The Recycling track includes the following presentations:

• State of the Recycling Market: How the US Paperboard Industry Will Solve the Country's Recycling Crisis
• The Usefulness of Two-Side ERIC Buchner Handsheets for Deinking Agent Development
• Determination of Vegetable Oil in Recycled Paper Industrial Settings
• Incorporation of Post-Consumer Pizza Boxes in the Recovered Fiber Stream: Impacts of Grease on Finished Product Quality

View full technical program for presentations and speakers

PEERS is co-located with the International Bioenergy & Bioproducts Conference (IBBC). Participants can attend both virtual events for only one registration fee.

For Conference details and to register, visit tappipeers.org

PaperChase Fun Run/Walk
Attendees are encouraged to also participate in the co-located events’ first-ever virtual PaperChase Fun Run/Walk. Whether you choose to run, walk or just relax, you can support the Engineering Scholarship program and help students achieve a bright future in the pulp and paper industry. Learn more.

Benefitting the Bottom Line
There are many benefits to sponsoring or exhibiting at the first-ever virtual PEERS/IBBC conferences. With Gold and Silver options you can get a virtual booth with videos, downloadable promotional materials, meetings with attendees, session sponsorships and more. To learn how your company can benefit, view our Exhibitor/Sponsor flyer.