Takeaway boxes ‘too greasy to recycle’
County imposes a ban on certain fast food containers after paper processing mill refuses to accept them
Boxes from Mcdonald’s and Domino’s are too greasy to be recycled, a council has insisted after imposing a countywide ban on the fast food packaging. Binmen in Lincolnshire will no longer empty recycling if they spot a Mcdonald’s brown bag or Domino’s Pizza box among the rubbish. The council said that “as long as [food packaging] is clean and dry it’s fine to put it in recycling bins – but the chances are a Mcdonald’s wrapper or box won’t be clean and it won’t be dry”.
MCDONALD’S and Domino’s boxes are too greasy to be recycled, a council has insisted after imposing a county-wide ban on the fast food packaging.
Binmen in Lincolnshire will no longer empty recycling if they spot a Mcdonald’s brown bag or Domino’s Pizza box among the rubbish.
Council waste managers told residents to ignore the “I’m made from recyclable material” statement on Domino’s boxes in footage showing workers rooting through recycling bins.
In a video posted online by West Lindsey district council to promote the policy, Rachel Stamp, a waste partnership and projects manager at Lincolnshire county council, said that the Domino’s claim only applies “until such time as the food has been in them”.
Once the pizza box has served its purpose, Ms Stamp claims that it cannot be recycled as “the grease inside them has damaged [the paper] fibres”.
Domino’s Pizza has been quick to highlight that the stance being taken by these councils is an exceptional one.
Will Hill, communications director for the pizza chain, said that “the boxes we use for our delicious pizzas, sides and baked desserts are made from recycled materials”.
Mr Hill added: “Providing that customers remove any excess food, they are absolutely fine to be recycled and are accepted by the vast majority of local councils throughout the UK.” Mcdonald’s also said that, since 2019, their main meal and side salads come in cardboard containers that are 100 per cent recyclable.
The chain, which has been contacted for comment, have also updated their Mcflurry ice cream packaging in recent years, removing plastic lids. Despite this claim, councillors said it was unlikely such fast food containers will be welcome again in their recycling bins.
Daniel Mcnally, the executive councillor for waste at Lincolnshire county council, said that “as long as [food packaging] is clean and dry it’s fine to put it in recycling bins – but the chances are a Mcdonald’s wrapper or box won’t be clean and it won’t be dry”.
Cllr Mcnally added that any grease and food encrusted takeaway wrappers are simply not accepted by the paper mill where local authorities send their recycling.
He said that the rollout of new purple paper and card recycling bins by the Lincolnshire Waste Partnership – which covers all councils in the area – has driven the campaign to “get grease contamination down to zilch”. He added: “This is the only way. You can’t put pizza boxes in, that just ruins it.”
Domino’s Pizza added that the company is “committed to building a better future through food people love. Part of this commitment is ensuring we minimise the impact we have on the environment.”
Of the seven district councils within Lincolnshire county council, the scheme has been rolled out in Boston borough council, North Kesteven district council and West Lindsey district council. All have been approached for comment.