Talking Trash

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Are rectangular milk and juice cartons recyclable?

Update, September 28, 2009: Our recycling program has expanded, and we now accept paper milk and juice cartons as recyclable mixed paper.

From our mailbag:

Are the 1/2 gallon rectangular shaped cartons that milk and orange juice come in recyclable? I just want to do the correct thing.

Thanks for your question, R.!   Sorry, our recycling program does not accept milk and juice cartons because they are coated with a thin plastic film.  In order to recover the paper fibers, they would need to be separated from this film layer.  That's a step most paper recycling processes are not set up to handle.  So, please put these cartons into the trash.

--posted by Susanne

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CATEGORIES: Mailbag , Paper , Recycling
POSTED AT: 11:49:00 PM |