If your city recycles, chances are any paper packaging is fair game for recycling. But not all recycled paper packaging is the same. In fact, many product packaging has become very complicated.
Cardboard boxes can be reused for packaging and other items, but that does not mean the cardboard is recycled. Instead, it may be used in a landfill site. What you may think is recycled cardboard is really just new cardboard.
Cardboard boxes are often made from recycled newspaper, but that does not mean the newspaper has been recycled. The newspaper is just being repackaged and resold again to create new cardboard. In other words, the newspaper may be recycling, but the cardboard box is still recycling.
Plastic and paper products made from polyethylene (PE) or PET may not even be recyclable, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They are not biodegradable like paper and plastic. In fact, if they were to break down in landfills, they would take centuries to degrade. So, what is left over after all the packaging and cardboard is not even made of anything edible, such as paper or plastic. This makes these products not “food friendly.”
Paper bags can be recycled, but not all plastic bags are. You will find some companies that sell recycled paper and plastic products, but not all. Many grocery stores only carry products made from PE or PET, and they do not carry paper products. They also carry reusable shopping bags that cannot be reused, as well as paper grocery bags.
These grocery stores are not just selling recycled products to those in need of food, however. They sell their products to retailers, including restaurants, who use them to package their products and distribute them throughout the country. And, the bags they use to do this have become so popular that they have become part of the business marketing plan.
Plastic products can be recycled and sent back into landfills. However, the problem with this is that plastic products are heavier and more expensive to create and ship out than paper products, and smaller items. So, when they are put back into landfills, they add to the pollution.
Anytime recycling programs address the issue of waste, they must first address how the waste is going to landfills. It is important to understand that recycling products that are not recyclable. They can only be recycled, but not made out of something edible.
One example is large-scale food processing plants, where most of their materials, including packaging materials, are made out of PE. There are also recycling facilities that recycle used paper for books and magazines. While this is still a huge source of trash, it is becoming less of a problem as more people turn toward organic and sustainable food. in the face of today’s global economy.
However, there are still many food businesses that use paper and plastic as packaging. These include hotels, fast food, and many grocery stores. It is a tough business, and one that require recycling programs that make sense.
The paper, however, is more of a challenge. Because it takes longer for the paper to break down into smaller particles, it often means that some of it will end up in landfills more quickly than others. That means more waste than needed. Recycling the paper is not just about saving trees, it is about saving trees.
With new technology, that recycling is easier to do. With more energy, more of the waste can be burned or reused, and there are new methods being developed. This means less waste for landfills.
As we look for ways to conserve resources, it is important to think about recycling the more recyclable paper products and making better decisions when choosing your packaging material. For example, some of the more environmentally friendly options, such as those made out of cotton or bamboo can be reused.