Plastic tableware cannot be recycled. If you are considering purchasing „single use products“ for recycling purposes, we recommend choosing reusable or compostable alternatives. It's time to move away from plastic utensils, plates, cups, and bowls. nation, regionand statesingle-use plastics are being phased out through a new ban on their sale.
But let's say you have plastic utensils from takeout restaurants, office lunch parties, or a variety of other scenarios, and you want to keep them out of the landfill.In theory, these instruments should Although they are recyclable, some issues may prevent local programs from accepting them.
1. Inconsistent material
In an ideal world, all plastic tableware would be made from the same plastic resin, but in reality, this is not the case. The majority of plastic tableware is made of polystyrene (#6 plastic), an expanded foam plastic best known as Styrofoam. Other plastic utensils are made from PET (#1 plastic) or polypropylene (#5 plastic), which have a larger recycling market than polystyrene.
Unfortunately, individual cookware usually doesn't have a plastic resin number listed on it, so there's no way to tell what plastic it's made of unless you refer to the original packaging.Unless your curbside program states they accept all Do not remove plastic from recycling bins.
2. Unconventional shape
Plastic forks and knives are often considered as they can jam the machinery inside the MRF. biggest source of pollution.
Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) are designed to take everything out of the blue bins, sort them by material, package them, and send them to recycling companies. Packing is much easier if the material is fragile, such as aluminum cans, plastic bottles, or newspaper.
3. China's conundrum
Plastic utensils are similarly classified as hard plastics. clamshell packaging, blister pack And a yogurt container. Until 2018, most U.S. curbside programs exported plastic waste, such as dishes and cups, to China.However, China cracked down on plastic importschanged the recycling of hard plastics across the United States.
Replace single-use with compostable and reusable alternatives
The easiest way to avoid looking for recycling solutions is to change your shopping habits. Look for compostable fibre-based dishes and utensils, or choose reusable metal utensils and take the time to wash them instead of recycling them. Plus, they perform better than plastic forks for your guests. Please consider these alternatives.
Earth911 works with affiliate marketing partners to Please help us fund recycling directory. If you purchase something through one of the affiliate links in this post, we will receive a small commission.
Set of 250 compostable paper plates with biodegradable cups, spoons and forks$24.99 on Amazon.
300 pieces of compostable wooden tableware$21.99 on Amazon.
Matana bamboo tableware 200 pieces$12.99 on Amazon
Start your guests' reuse journey by sharing reusable tableware sets at your party.try these TROUSKAIG reusable cookware setChipsticks are also included and are priced at $7.99 for a pack of four.
Whether you can recycle plastic tableware depends on your city. Additionally, there are many factors that limit the recycling market. If you are purchasing plant-based cutlery thinking it is compostable, the jury is still out on whether it is or not. These products actually fail Even under the highest temperatures. Your best bet is to use reusable tableware.
Editor's note: A previous version of this article was published on May 25, 2018. Comprehensive update in March 2024.