The conundrum is this: Pizza boxes are made of cardboard which is highly recyclable, but if there is cheese on them, they are not.

So here is the answer for you committed recyclers: Usually, the top of the box is free of cheese and grease.

If there is cheese and/or a big grease print on the bottom of the box, then you can rip the box in half and recycle the relatively clean top and put the food contaminated bottom portion in the trash. I’ve noticed, though, that there is often a foil sheet between the pizza and the bottom of the box these days. A little bit of grease will not hurt the recycling process, so if the box has only a few grease spots, you can recycle the whole thing!

For answers to all of your recycling questions, see the Kane County Recycles website at www.countyofkane.org/recycling, or contact Jennifer Jarland, Kane County recycling coordinator, at recycle@countyofkane.org or 630-208-3841.