Let’s face it. We’ve all been ordering takeout more often than usual. While it is a great way to enjoy your favorite meal, it does create more waste than dining inside a restaurant. Whether it’s styrofoam or plastic, there are several different types of takeout containers and each has their own disposal methods.
Styrofoam
One of the most common types of takeout boxes is styrofoam. These styrofoam containers are not accepted in your curbside recycling program. During transportation and sorting, they are contaminated and degraded due to their light weight. Syrofoam is very difficult to recycle even when it is clean and seperate from other recyclables. There are very few companies nationwide that are equipped to recycle Styrofoam.
Clam-shells
Rigid plastic clam-shell packaging are not accepted your curbside recycling bin.
Food Trays
Black plastic and black Styrofoam food trays from restaurants and even those from frozen meals must be placed in your garbage. Chinese takeout boxes must also be thrown in the garbage. Grease seeps into the paper and makes it non-recyclable.
Plastic Bags
Plastic doggy bags cannot be recycled in your curbside program. But they can often be brought to your local grocer or big box store for recycling. Paper bags, however, can be recycled, as long as they are not saturated with food or grease. If paper bags are contaminated by food, they must be thrown in the garbage (Earth911).
Many reusable plastic containers, like Gladware, can be recycled. They are a great choice because they can be reused countless times, saving money and reducing waste. To reduce your waste even more, try bringing your own reusable containers for leftovers when you go out to eat!
So remember, paper bags and reusable containers can be recycled as long as they are clean. Styrofoam, plastic clam shells, black food trays, and plastic bags must go in the garbage.