Can Waxed Cartons Be Recycled?

What's in It?

• Waxed cartons aren't totally paper, cardboard or one single material, but a combination of mostly paperboard, lined with plastic and sometimes aluminum foil. Many waxed cartons also have hard plastic spouts, which require a separate recycling process and equipment.

What's the Process?

• Each of the materials in waxed cartons are recyclable, but they must be separated to be recycled. This pre-recycling separation process, called hydropulping, involves removing plastic spouts before soaking and churning waxed cartons in water until they are a gray sludge, from which the individual materials can then be separated with sifting and filtering actions. This is a lengthier process than paperboard recycling, involving different equipment, additional time and steps, and adding to the cost of the finished recycled materials. As waxed cartons are compostable, some areas haven't yet begun recycling them.

Who Recycles Cartons?

• Many communities participate in curbside recycling, and their local waste haulers either take recyclables themselves or contract with recycling companies to do it. Not all curbside recycling programs accept waxed cartons, but the Carton Council works to increase carton recycling in the U.S. by promoting recycling technology and local collection. The Carton Council claims that millions of households in over half of U.S. states have access to recycling programs for waxed cartons.

How Do You Know?

• If you have items that you're not sure how or where to recycle, you can ask about it. Start by contacting the local waste hauler in your area. Or contact your state department of environmental quality or environmental protection for the best way to recycle or dispose of an item and ask about local regulations and policies regarding waste disposal and recycling. Many recycling information resources on the Internet make it easy to find out about recycling in your area, including Earth 911 and Carton Council.