While the specifics of recycling vary around the globe

Unlike plastic, paper is more easily spoiled by food contamination. After the MRF, bales of paper and cardboard head for a paper mill where most is recycled into new cardboard. While it's normal for bales to be processed as soon as they arrive, says Jonathan Scott, technical operations manager for DS Smith, if food contamination has snuck through it might have started to go mouldy in the truck.