FameThrowa reminded me that there is one more Black Box no-no — one that I screw up all the time — and that’s boxes with waxy coating. Apparently the paper recyclers of the world hate wax-coated boxes with a passion — it’s all they can talk about!

Wax-coated boxes are usually used to hold freezer food. Even if the food inside is encased in a plastic bag, the box itself is usually treated with a wax coating so it does not get wet in the freezer. You can tell if a box is wax-coated by dragging your fingernail across it — a little wax will build up under your nail. If you’re not sure, and the box held any kind of freezer food, then it’s definitely better to put it in the garbage than in the recycling bin. The black box recyclers of the world will thank you!

And while I’m on the subject, cups from fast-food places, paper coffee cups, and dixie cups aren’t recyclable either, for the same reason — they have a slight wax coating to protect the paper from getting wet.

And don’t even THINK about recycling boxes from ice cream. No!