4 ms·

The worst part about them is they aren’t even recyclable.

gwbas1c 3y ago
But plastic recycling doesn't work very well. What I'd like to know is: What's the break-even point? How many times can a #2 milk jug be recycled versus the amount of plastic used for the same number of milk bags?
- ComputerGuru 3y ago
  PET(E) and HDPE are both extremely recyclable (not in the infinitely recyclable approach but in the “have lots of long second lives” approach), though something like only 30% of HDPE ends up getting collected for recycling in the first place. This Argonne National Laboratory article is more pessimistic but maybe because it’s trying to hype up a recent breakthrough which actually makes HDPE infinitely recyclable: https://www.anl.gov/article/scientists-enhance-recyclability-of-waste-plastic https://www.anl.gov/article/scientists-enhance-recyclability...
Scoundreller 3y ago
Maybe at the consumer level, but in Canada they're delivered in re-usable totes from the manufacturer. They're great totes for many things... I think I've said too much... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_crate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_crate But maybe not at the consumer level: a small amount of plastic film that isn't recycled may be less wasteful than a much larger amount of plastic that is (sometimes) melted down and recycled. Even the cardboard cartons (non-Tetra) are a mix of plastic and paper so they're not recyclable everywhere.
- TylerE 3y ago
  Nothing to do with bagged milk. Record collectors have been borrowing those from US groceries stores since forever.
timbit42 3y ago
But they are reusable for other uses. Many Canadians cut the short end and use them as freezer bags or lunch bags. They can be reused many times. Also, milk bags are more environmentally friendly than cartons or jugs even if the bags are landfilled and the cartons and jugs are recycled. Source: https://theconversation.com/milk-jugs-cartons-or-plastic-bags-which-one-is-best-for-the-environment-171658 https://theconversation.com/milk-jugs-cartons-or-plastic-bag...

But plastic recycling doesn't work very well. What I'd like to know is: What's the break-even point? How many times can a #2 milk jug be recycled versus the amount of plastic used for the same number of milk bags?

ComputerGuru 3y ago
PET(E) and HDPE are both extremely recyclable (not in the infinitely recyclable approach but in the “have lots of long second lives” approach), though something like only 30% of HDPE ends up getting collected for recycling in the first place. This Argonne National Laboratory article is more pessimistic but maybe because it’s trying to hype up a recent breakthrough which actually makes HDPE infinitely recyclable: https://www.anl.gov/article/scientists-enhance-recyclability-of-waste-plastic https://www.anl.gov/article/scientists-enhance-recyclability...

Scoundreller 3y ago

Maybe at the consumer level, but in Canada they're delivered in re-usable totes from the manufacturer. They're great totes for many things... I think I've said too much... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_crate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_crate But maybe not at the consumer level: a small amount of plastic film that isn't recycled may be less wasteful than a much larger amount of plastic that is (sometimes) melted down and recycled. Even the cardboard cartons (non-Tetra) are a mix of plastic and paper so they're not recyclable everywhere.

TylerE 3y ago
Nothing to do with bagged milk. Record collectors have been borrowing those from US groceries stores since forever.

timbit42 3y ago

But they are reusable for other uses. Many Canadians cut the short end and use them as freezer bags or lunch bags. They can be reused many times. Also, milk bags are more environmentally friendly than cartons or jugs even if the bags are landfilled and the cartons and jugs are recycled. Source: https://theconversation.com/milk-jugs-cartons-or-plastic-bags-which-one-is-best-for-the-environment-171658 https://theconversation.com/milk-jugs-cartons-or-plastic-bag...