Why this Rich Lister wants to recycle your pizza boxes

afr.com:

Visy boss Anthony Pratt says Victorians can now recycle their pizza boxes without worry after a $42.5 million upgrade to the company’s Coolaroo plant has given it the “most advanced paper recycling technology in the world”.

The billionaire joined Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Thursday to unveil the project, which was jointly funded by Visy and the state and federal governments.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, Visy boss Anthony Pratt, and federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek at Coolaroo on Thursday.  

He said the plant upgrades would double Visy’s curbside recycling capability in Victoria and divert 180,000 more tonnes of paper and cardboard annually from landfills, the equivalent of an additional 400 Olympic swimming pools.

“Recycling is an important weapon against climate change,” Mr Pratt said, adding eliminating landfills as a source of methane was one of the world’s most “doable” contributions to combatting climate change.

“Methane gas is 84 times more potent at creating greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide. Every tonne of paper that’s diverted from landfill avoids 3 tonnes of Co2,” he said.

“Landfills emit more CO2 than all of global aviation. Any piece of adulterated paper that goes through Victoria’s curbside recycling bin now has the capacity to be recycled into new packaging… meaning it never has to be landfilled or exported.”

The upgrade project was supported by a $24 million co-investment from the federal and Victorian governments, with Visy contributing $18.5 million.

Advice varies across Australia whether pizza boxes can be recycled due to the greasy residue left behind that can contaminate the cardboard. Some Victorian councils recommend tearing off