Ghost the Trash: Pizza Hut Teams Up with Smurfit Westrock to Increase Pizza Box Recycling in Louisville, Ky.

The iconic pizza brand and one of its key pizza box suppliers want customers to know that pizza boxes can be recycled

PLANO, Texas, Nov. 14, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Pizza Hut, LLC has partnered with Smurfit Westrock, one of the brand's primary pizza box suppliers, to raise awareness with customers in Louisville, Ky. that their pizza boxes can be recycled. While there can be confusion surrounding this topic, research conducted by Smurfit Westrock in recent years has proven that pizza boxes can in fact be recycled, grease and all, when infrastructure in local communities allows. In fact, it's estimated that nearly 75% of people in the U.S. have access to recycling for used pizza boxes in their local community.

"At Pizza Hut, we've always been focused on giving our customers the best pizza possible and an important part of the experience is the pizza box," said Emily True, the global senior manager of sustainability at the brand. "Once our customers are done enjoying their pizza, we want them to understand how they can play an important role in making sure boxes get a second life."

Pizza Hut has a history of working to make its pizza box more sustainable. When it comes to the box itself, the brand is in a position of strength since it primarily uses corrugated cardboard which is a widely recyclable material. Of the cardboard used in the brands' pizza boxes in the U.S. at least 35% is made of recycled content. Pizza Hut is also taking on this issue through consumer education and working with groups that influence local governments and municipalities on the recyclability of cardboard pizza boxes.

Smurfit Westrock also has a long history when it comes to sustainable practices. As one of the largest producers of pizza boxes in the U.S., the company is committed to circularity in packaging, which it achieves in part by returning and recycling used corrugated material into the packaging production cycle. After all, more than 3 billion pizza boxes are consumed annually in the U.S. market. But achieving this goal requires partnership, especially with companies like Pizza Hut that can reach consumers.

"Recycling corrugated material is a fairly simple, straightforward process that contributes to improving circularity in packaging," said Kevin Hudson, senior vice president of Forestry and Recycled Fiber at Smurfit Westrock North America. "Awareness is a critical first step, but sustainable results can only be achieved when consumers, manufacturers, brands and communities work collectively to recycle pizza boxes, and we're grateful for the opportunity to work with Pizza Hut, haulers and local municipalities to improve circularity in the Louisville market."

To find local recycling guidelines, visit Pizza Box Recycling (pizzahut.com).

About Pizza Hut®
Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM), was founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas and since then has earned a reputation as a trailblazer in innovation with the creation of icons like Original Pan® and Original Stuffed Crust® pizzas. In 1994, Pizza Hut pizza was the very first online food order. Today, Pizza Hut continues leading the way in the digital and technology space with over half of transactions worldwide coming from digital orders. Pizza Hut is committed to providing an easy pizza experience – from order to delivery – and has Hut Rewards®, the Pizza Hut loyalty program that offers points for every dollar spent on food any way you order. Hut Rewards is open to U.S. residents 18+. See applicable terms at https://hutrewards.pizzahut.com/terms/. A global leader in the pizza category, Pizza Hut operates more than 19,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. Through its enormous presence, Pizza Hut works to unlock opportunity for team members and communities around the world.

For more information, visit www.pizzahut.com. You can remain up to date on what's happening at Pizza Hut by following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and subscribing to our YouTube channel.

About Smurfit Westrock
Smurfit Westrock is a leading global provider of paper-based packaging solutions, with approximately 100,000 employees across 40 countries. For more information, www.smurfitwestrock.com.  

Press Contact
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SOURCE Pizza Hut