I replaced my regular plastic milk-jug purchase with smaller milk cartons, thinking the paper cartons would be better for the environment. In my research last night I ran across a site that said milk cartons are plastic lined and not recyclable. As any good internet researcher knows, I never trust one source and decided to look further into it today.
Milk cartons are lined in plastic. How disappointing. So much for the half gallon superiority. (Or 2 quarter gallons because the half gallon had the plastic pour spout.)
One recycling site (http://www.obviously.com/recycle/guides/common.html) says, “Milk cartons are plastic laminated inside, even if they don't have a plastic spout.” And later, “Paper with any sort of contamination or plastic layers can't be recycled.”
I use Waste Management, and looked into their recycling methods and found that they do now recycle milk cartons, although it’s shipped elsewhere and a more involved process. (http://www.wm.com/about/press-room/pr2009/20090402_WM_and_Tropicana_Launch_National_Recycling_Initiative.pdf) Well, damn.
There are re-usable jugs at a few of the markets I frequent, although still plastic. I’ll see if I can find glass milk jugs, too.
I wonder what else I’m taking for granted?
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