I’m always puzzled at whether or not food items that come in cartons, specifically juice or milk cartons, can be recycled.
I know that cardboard and paperboard can be recycled, but cartons seem to be a hybrid of the two, sometimes glossy, sometimes thicker than traditional paperboard. Do any of those qualities disqualify the carton from being recycled?
In an average kitchen, at least once per year (if not weekly) one can expect to find one of or many of these- a juice carton, milk carton, stock or broth carton, soup carton, juice boxes, etc. – that provide convenient storage and access to desired items. If you shop at a big-box retailer (ie. Costco or Sam’s Wholesale Club, etc.) you can expect to get boxes or sets of these cartons that you will ultimately need to dispose of. Multiply those cartons by all the cartons at schools, businesses, restaurants, convenience stores… and you can quickly imagine the staggering volume of cartons that may not be recycled. The cartons themselves seem (to me) to fall into a paperboard category, though they often have a plastic nozzle or capping mechanism. So, can I recycle cartons and if so, how do I recycle cartons? Do I need to cut out the plastic nozzle or mouth of the carton and place in my weekly curbside recycling pickup box or deliver to my area recycling facility and let them, literally, sort it out later.
The Answer – Yes! You can. Sort of.
My research led me to the ThinkGreen.com blog of the waste disposal company, Waste Management.
It turns out, depending on where you live and what waste disposal service or recycling service you use; it’s as easy as what I mentioned above. Toss it in with your curbside pickup or the appropriate receptacle at your recycling center. If you have to separate materials for your scheduled pickup or local/regional recycling facility, it goes in with the plastic and aluminum can section. So check with your recycling service or center.
One of the other things I learned from the ThinkGreen.com blog on carton recycling, in addition to the above, is that (what I’ll describe as) “carton recycling uncertainty” by the consumer is an increasing concern. The blog states that Waste Management has partnered with Tropicana and the Carton Council for the need to elevate the awareness of carton recycling by working with all parties involved in bringing container items to market. Collectively they are bringing suppliers, manufacturers, marketing departments and branding agencies (specifically those that focus on package design) together to make container recycling more apparent to the consumer; who ultimately decides on the final resting place of the empty containers. Recycling bin or trash bin?
To me, it would seem an ideal location to place any recycling messaging on along the bottom border of any vertical side and on the bottom of the container. I find that when I’m at the end of a container of liquid, the container is upside down and a prime area to place a ‘This is Recycleable’ message that I would see.
Now, any time I empty out an orange juice carton, soup carton or milk carton I’ll know for certain the carton can be recycled. On that note, that’s one more item I will recycle more of. You should to.
Let me know your thoughts on carton recycling in the comments below. Does your waste removal service or local/regional recycling facility accept or educate you on carton recycling?
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