Football fans are gearing up for the big game day with watch parties planned in homes and venues around the nation and one thing they have in common is lots of party-related paper and packaging. New themes and tips in recycling paper are emerging that will make it easier to host environmentally-friendly celebrations and encourage partygoers to recycle their paper products after the games.

These top four trends are part of the culture shift, resulting in more Americans choosing and then recycling paper products—making them papertarians. That is someone who chooses and uses paper products because they know it is a smart choice for the environment and then recycles them to make further use of natural resources.

For all paper items, checking local guidelines first is important as recycling rules vary by community.

1. Paper Cups – Whether they hold coffee, soda, water or something stronger, paper cups are a staple at parties. While not yet widely available for recycling, the good news is that more and more recycling operators are accepting these.
2. Pizza Boxes –Football fans will eat nearly 13 million pizzas during the big game so understanding how to recycle the boxes is key.  Washington, DC and these 10 states—Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Vermont—shine as pizza box recycling powerhouses where at least 90% of residents can recycle their pizza boxes even with the grease stains.
3. Cartons – Many party drinks are served in cartons—single serve wine, juice boxes for kids, and even milk. These are increasingly being accepted by local recycling facilities and more consumers are learning about their recyclability. For the big game, consumers should check the label on the carton to see if it is recyclable.
4. Consumer Adoption – In addition to more jurisdictions and recycling facilities accepting additional types of paper products, recycling is increasingly part of Americans’ lives as they cement their recycling habits. In fact, the paper and packaging industry has announced or is expected to complete projects by 2025 that will use more than 9 million tons of recycled paper so that consumers know that the paper products they buy remain part of the circular economy. Being regenerated though starts with paper and packaging products reaching the blue bin—even during parties.

How a Papertarian Builds a Party: Recycling and Reuse Ideas

• Turn a box into a snack stadium to serve up food in sporty style.
• Buy and use paper products whenever possible because they are made from a renewable resource, unlike fossil fuel-based products.
• Place recycling bins (or boxes) next to trash cans around the house to help partygoers recycle and put a paper sign on the bin showing what’s recyclable in your area.
• Empty and flatten cardboard boxes when you are finished with them, and then drop them in the recycling bin.
• Check local recycling guidelines in advance by clicking here to find out if a product can be recycled since rules vary by location.