While the paperization of packaging marches on, questions about food residue on paper packaging have been holding fiber-based packaging innovations back. As labeling laws like California’s SB 343 invite new scrutiny for paper formats, the packaging industry has been grappling with new questions, like:
- Do consumer habits around cleaning and recycling plastic, glass, and metal food packaging hold true with paper-based packaging?
- What impact does food residue — such as leftover sauces, melted cheese, or dairy products — have on the recyclability of paper packaging from the perspective of paper recyclers?
- How do we best communicate the recyclability of paper-based food packaging to consumers, especially when there is the potential for food residue?
In collaboration with its members, industry partners, and Clemson University, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) spearheaded a multi-faceted research project to better understand the impact food residue has on the recyclability and consumer treatment of paper packaging.
Here’s what we found: After observing 100 consumers and interviewing dozens of recyclers, we discovered that food residue may present a less significant issue for many paper formats than the industry has previously believed — but recyclers still aren’t willing to accept any more than they’re already receiving. We also found that on-pack messaging, particularly when paired with a small amount of education, is both effective and critical to limiting the amount of food residue that enters the recycling system in the first place.
Food Residue: What Consumers Do, What Recyclers Want
In our research, we wanted to understand:
- The impact the How2Recycle label had on consumers’ preparation (cleaning) of a piece of packaging before recycling
- The operational and business impacts of packaging with food residue entering Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) and recycled fiber mill operations
To gather the consumer insights we needed, we studied more than 100 consumers’ preparation of paper and plastic packaging formats. We broke participants into three groups:
| N Group (control) | 36 participants | Received packages that did not include a How2Recycle label |
| Y Group | 34 participants | Received packages with a How2Recycle label applied |
| E Group | 35 participants | Received packages with a How2Recycle label applied and were shown a 90-second video about recycling and the How2Recycle label |
To get the industry insights we needed, we conducted interviews with more than 50 companies, outlined below:
| Material Recovery Facility (MRF) Operators | 37 companies operating over 400 individual MRFs interviewed |
| Recycled Fiber Mills Using Residential Mixed Paper as a Feedstock | 12 mill companies operating 20 mills interviewed |
| Exporter Brokers (sellers of recycled fiber to international recycling markets) | 6 businesses interviewed |
What Did We Learn? Consumer and Industry Insights Around Paper Packaging Food Residue
1. Education and On-Pack Messaging are Key to Reducing the Amount of Food Residue that Enters the Recycling System
Participants who watched an educational video and received packaging with a How2Recycle label were twice as likely to properly recycle items that required cleaning, removing at least 50% of the original food residue.
2. Consumers Find Printed Recycling Icons On-Pack Most Helpful for Determining Recyclability
When asked to rank the sources they find most helpful for determining whether a package is recyclable, consumers put printed recycling icons at the top of their list.
What sources have been helpful for you to know if a package is recyclable?
| Source | Very Helpful | Somewhat Helpful | Not Helpful |
|---|---|---|---|
| Printed recycling icons on packaging | 76% | 19% | 5% |
| Visual posters/lists near recycling receptacles | 61% | 34% | 5% |
| Words about recycling on the packaging | 54% | 35% | 10% |
| What the package looks like (color, material, design) | 45% | 41% | 14% |
| Information from my local recycling center or waste management authority (email, flyer, website, etc.) | 31% | 29% | 40% |
| Online research (Google, ChatGPT, sustainability blogs) other than social media | 26% | 31% | 43% |
| Friends, family, or colleagues | 23% | 46% | 31% |
| Resin ID codes | 23% | 26% | 51% |
| Educational campaigns or public awareness initiatives | 22% | 52% | 26% |
| Guidance, signs, or websites from retailers/grocery stores or brands | 22% | 44% | 34% |
| Advertisements/ads about recycling | 15% | 41% | 44% |
| Municipal waste or recycling companies | 14% | 41% | 45% |
| Neighbors/local acquaintances | 14% | 27% | 59% |
| Social media | 7% | 31% | 62% |
| Government websites or environmental agencies (e.g., EPA) | 5% | 28% | 68% |
| Packaging manufacturer websites | 2% | 14% | 84% |
3. Food Residue Isn’t a Major Barrier for Most Paper-based Packaging, But Certain Formats Still Create Friction
During the research, consumers often cleaned before recycling packaging until minimal food residue remained, particularly when on-pack messaging and education were provided. At the same time, study participants were confused about the recyclability of some packaging formats, and others found certain formats (below) too inconvenient to clean before recycling, even though they would recycle those same formats if they were already clean.
These results highlight a clear gap: Consumers are willing to recycle clean paper packaging, but they’re not always willing to clean it first.
Examples of Average Participant Views on Included Packaging Categories and Formats (packaging organized by similar products)
| Product | Component | Feel confused or unsure if the package is recyclable or not | Think the package is recyclable but considered too inconvenient to clean | Willing to recycle the package if it’s already clean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frozen Meal – Mac & Cheese | Bowl | 31% | 27% | 64% |
| Frozen Meal – Mac & Cheese | Carton | 2% | 1% | 68% |
| Ice Cream – Strawberry | Tub | 13% | 14% | 63% |
| Ice Cream – Strawberry | Lid | 18% | 11% | 51% |
| Paper Plate | 22% | 27% | 61% | |
| Coffee Cup – Single Wall | Cup | 17% | 11% | 55% |
| Coffee Cup – Single Wall | Lid | 18% | 4% | 48% |
| Yogurt | Cup | 10% | 12% | 61% |
| Quick Mac & Cheese | Cup | 13% | 14% | 59% |
4. Most Consumers Already Know to Clean Food Residue Off of Packaging Before Recycling
Good news: 80% of study participants knew, without education or explicit instructions, to clean food residue off of packaging before placing it in the recycling bin. Better news: With explicit, on–pack instructions included, nearly all study participants took some form of action to remove food residue before recycling.
5. Most Recycling Facilities View Food Residue as a Minor Issue, But None are Open to Receiving More of It
Our recycler interviews paint a nuanced picture: Paper recyclers feel that food residue is widely viewed as a minor issue throughout the recycling process, yet no one is willing to accept more food residue than they already do.
Because food residue can be difficult for paper recyclers to define and quantitatively measure, qualitative indictors and definitions help illustrate the level when food residue starts to become an issue. For paper-based packaging, while physical food remnants are problematic, residue absorbed into the fiber is less concerning.
The takeaways for the packaging industry? Relying on recyclers to accept more food residue isn’t a viable path forward for advancing the recycling of food packaging. Instead, the industry should focus efforts on reducing the amount of residue entering the recycling steam in the first place.
Examples of Food Soiled Packages Shown to Interviewed Paper Recyclers and Brokers with the Question: “At Which Level Does Food Residue Become Unacceptable in Your Operations?”
6. Most Recycling Facilities View Food Residue as a Minor Issue, But None are Open to Receiving More of It
While language like “Clean and Dry” provides concise, on-pack instructions for preparing packaging before recycling, the paper industry may benefit from identifying new language that more clearly articulates how to clean a paper package for recycling.
For example, study participants generally understood that a package needs to be clean before recycling but were confused about what “dry” meant. Helping consumers understand recyclability in this context will require clear, consistent on-pack language and industry alignment on how clean is clean enough.
Clemson study participants were shown a How2Recycle label with instructions to “Recycle if Clean & Dry” and were asked how that language — or the absence of it — shaped their beliefs about dryness and cleanliness.
After seeing a How2Recycle label with “Recycle if Clean & Dry,” a majority of participants (65%) believed packaging should be fully clean with no food before recycling. Among those who did not receive that instruction, just 50% felt the same.
The pattern holds for dryness, too: With explicit instructional language, 30% said packaging should be “mostly dry” before recycling. Without explicit instructions, views flipped, with a plurality (41%) believing it doesn’t matter whether a package is wet or dry before recycling.
What Comes Next? Food Residue and Paper Packaging Recyclability
Increasing the amount of food packaging that is both accepted for recycling and correctly recycled by consumers will require collaboration among stakeholders across the paper packaging and recycling value chains. Our research points to the need for the paper packaging industry, in partnership with paper recyclers, to align on:
- Acceptable levels of food residue on paper packaging that is recycled
- Consistent on-pack language that communicates acceptable levels of food residue to consumers
The SPC recommends the following next steps:
- Focus on the right formats first: determine the right language for How2Recycle labels on formats found to have low amounts of food residue.
- Build an industry standard residue threshold: Agree on acceptable levels of food residue and associated on-pack language through a cross-industry working group.
- Support on- and off-pack education: Build education on cleaning food residue off paper packaging into the planned How2Recycle Forward campaign.
- Expand system-wide partnerships: Identify ways the SPC and its members can partner with MRF operators to support education.
The full report, including additional insights and data, will be published in May. To get involved in the SPC’s ongoing food residue work, SPC members can join our Paper Packaging Recyclability Collaborative today.
