| Are paperboard milk and juice cartons recyclable? | | | | materials going into the recycling stream, the |
| This is a topic of much debate in my community, | | | | higher the aftermarket value of these materials. |
| so I decided to contact my local recycling facility | | | | That's why paper, glass, aluminum, non-laminated |
| to find the answer. To my surprise, the answer is | | | | plastics and other metals tend to fetch a higher |
| not clear-cut. | | | | price than laminated paperboards and plastics that |
| Technically, milk and juice paperboard cartons can | | | | are made of multiple resin families. Unfortunately, |
| be recycled, but only in special facilities. | | | | paperboard cartons have little aftermarket value, |
| Unfortunately few of these facilities exist in the | | | | making them one of the least attractive materials |
| US. Why is this? Milk and juice cartons are made | | | | to collect. |
| of about 85% virgin paper and 15% laminated | | | | According to Waste Management, which is the |
| plastic, which is the barrier between the paper and | | | | largest recycler of municipal waste in North |
| the liquid inside. A special recycling facility is | | | | America, milk and juice cartons are sorted in their |
| needed to peel off the plastic layers and extract | | | | facilities as Mixed Paper. However, depending on |
| the paper - a process that is more energy | | | | who ultimately buys the Mixed Paper bales, the |
| intensive than regular paper recycling. | | | | cartons may or may not actually get recycled. To |
| As a resident of Kentfield in Marin County, my | | | | improve the chances that milk cartons are |
| local recycler Marin Sanitary does not currently | | | | recycled, recycling centers recommend rinsing |
| accept paperboard milk and juice cartons for the | | | | your cartons thoroughly before placing them in |
| following reasons: | | | | the recycling bin. |
| - Milk and juice cartons are plastic laminated | | | | So what are the alternatives? Sustainable |
| paperboard and cannot be recycled alongside | | | | packaging solutions such as those offered by |
| regular paper. | | | | Ecologic Brands, provide brands and |
| - The paper needs to be separated from the | | | | manufacturers with a green packaging alternative |
| plastic coat and this can only be done in a special | | | | for their liquid products. Ecologic Brands' sustainable |
| recycling facility. In the United States, few of | | | | packaging includes an outer pulp shell and an |
| these special centers exist. | | | | ultra-thin interior pouch with cap. |
| - Separating the paper from the plastic coating is | | | | The pulp shell is made of 100% recycled |
| far more energy intensive that regular paper | | | | cardboard and is not laminated, thus it can be |
| recycling. | | | | re-recycled with other paper, and is compostable |
| - Local recyclers must accumulate and stockpile | | | | and biodegradable. The thin interior pouch uses up |
| enough tonnage to make it worthwhile for the | | | | to 70% less plastic than jugs, is recyclable with |
| special facilities to pick-up the cartons. | | | | #4 plastic, and leads to very low volume waste. |
| - Since few consumers adequately rinse the | | | | Ecologic offers green packaging solutions in the |
| cartons before they discard them, milk cartons | | | | milk and juice categories, as well as other |
| cause contamination and significant odor while | | | | categories such as wine, laundry and household |
| they accumulate at recycling centers. | | | | cleaning. For more information on Ecologic's |
| Like Marin Sanitary, many municipalities contend | | | | sustainable packaging solutions, check out |
| with these same issues. | | | | HDPE plastic jugs are another alternative to milk |
| The two biggest factors in determining what local | | | | and juice cartons, but have other environmental |
| recycling centers collect at your curbside are | | | | drawbacks. While the recycling rate for HDPE is |
| economics and convenience. Recyclers look for: | | | | higher than for cartons, and there is more |
| (1) secure and efficient aftermarkets for the | | | | demand for recycled HDPE, rigid plastic jugs use |
| materials they collect; and (2) high aftermarket | | | | twice as much plastic as alternatives and |
| prices for the materials they collect. | | | | consume large amounts of natural and virgin |
| Recycling centers act as "hubs" and sorting | | | | materials to make -- resulting in a high carbon |
| centers. They sell the materials they collect to | | | | footprint. Despite strong recycling programs for |
| converters, who convert them into materials that | | | | HDPE, most HDPE jugs end up in landfills, creating |
| can be re-used and re-processed. The purer the | | | | high volume waste. |