Can I Recycle Plastic Clamshells?
Can I Recycle Plastic Clamshells?
The short answer: No. Check with your local recycling program, but in general, recycling plants don’t want this type of plastic.
Why Can’t I Recycle Plastic Clamshells?
There are several reasons:
- The plastic in clamshells is different than the plastic that is in recyclable bottles and jugs, even though they may all have a #1 recycling symbol on them. The type of plastic used to make clamshells melts at a different temperature and if it ends up mixed in with other types of plastic, it can ruin a whole batch of recycled plastic.
- This type of plastic is so thin and lightweight, it can end up getting flattened and mixed in with the paper, which it also contaminates.
[ Related: How to Properly Recycle Plastic Bags and Film ]
So what can I do with plastic clamshells?
Unfortunately, there aren’t many good options other than trying to avoid them as much as possible. Berries are especially tough as they all seem to come packaged in clamshells these days. If you can find food brands that come packaged in recyclable or compostable packaging, that is your best bet. Or you could find creative ways to reuse them.
Or you could ask your grocery store and grower of the food you are buying in plastic clamshells to instead use the Sustainable Produce Container from Sun Sugar Farms: https://sustainableproducecontainer.com/
It can definitely be recycled because its paperboard and it also easily biodegrades in a backyard compost pile!
Paper board cannot be recycled if it has food residue on it, and a whole lot of people do not have access to composting which is really important to remember.
That would be true of a greasy pepperoni pizza box, for sure. But a paperboard container that’s held tomatoes? or berries? or mushrooms? Aren’t most fruits, vegetables and fungi basically water? Don’t most grocery stores try to sell produce that’s not leaking anyway? Shouldn’t be an issue. I’d be curious as to what your solution is to the billions of plastic clamshells that end up in landfills each year, Anonymous? Instead of throwing mud and trying to tear something down, why not make your mud into bricks and help build the house?
Thanks Linda, that’s a great idea! Love your packaging!
Go berry picking in the summer and freeze your harvest, otherwise just eat seasonally/locally out of berries sold in non plastic packaging (I’ve never been to a farmers market where berries are sold in plastic…). The problem I see so much is people think if there’s no other option that they “have” use plastic when they could literally avoid the purchase altogether until they find something that is sustainable.
Check out Terracycle.. they have a zero waste box that accepts EVERYTHING. There is a cost for the box, but they recycle literally EVERYTHING. They have a huge number of programs that offer free recycling by mail, *they pay for the shipping.. this is worth checking out.. they even recycle cigarette butts.. free.
TERRACYCLE
https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/about-terracycle/
No plastic clamshell recycling at terracycle!