Webinar Recording: The Impacts of Food Residue on Food Packaging Recovery
Food residue has become one of the most debated challenges in food packaging recycling. Everyday items—such as peanut butter jars, ice cream tubs, beverage cups, and pizza boxes—are made from valuable materials with strong potential for recovery and reuse. Yet questions remain about how these materials actually perform once they enter the recycling stream. What happens to packaging with food residue when it reaches the material recovery facility? How do paper mills and plastics processors handle residue, and to what extent does it impact efficiency, quality, and end products?
FPI hosted a roundtable discussion on June 8, 2026, that examined whether food residue truly represents a significant barrier to recycling or if advances in sorting and processing technologies have mitigated its effects. The session challenged common assumptions, explored current system capabilities, and considered whether it is time to rethink the food residue narrative.
Panelists Included:
Ashley Elzinga, FPI (moderator)
Stephanie Baker, KW Plastics
Brad Kurzynowski, SPC GreenBlue
Katy Ricchi, RRS
Ed Tucciarone, Graphic Packaging International
Click the video below to begin watching, or watch the recording on the FPI YouTube Channel.
