When recycling and properly disposing of materials, juice boxes and cartons are often thrown away. Most people don’t know that you can easily recycle and upcycle these juice boxes to create a better environment for yourself.
Juice boxes are recyclable. They are made up almost entirely of paper. By recycling them, you can reduce the amount of waste produced and the energy needed to produce new paper products.
Understanding the recycling process of juice boxes should be common knowledge to reduce our carbon footprint and work towards a more sustainable future. Therefore the disposal of cartons and juice boxes alongside their recycling is crucial.
This article will examine how you can properly dispose of and recycle juice boxes. We can take giant steps towards a better and greener world for all of us through this information.
Why it’s Important to Recycle Juice Boxes
By recycling your juice boxes wisely, you help keep unwanted waste away from landfills, and you can add to a greener, better environment by taking conscious steps. Try to buy more packaged goods made from recycled materials and help conserve energy by making sustainable choices.
These sustainably sourced boxes can be easily recycled, contributing to an ever-growing recycling process and living sustainably. While the cartons are made with three different materials, easy separation is a viable method for decomposing and recycling the separate component at your own pace. You can also help by rinsing out the juice boxes and setting them up for recycling and upcycling.
By recycling cartons and juice boxes, you can cut costs on the manufacturing side while reducing the waste that exists already. It’s always best to clean and rinse the waste material thoroughly before sending it for disposal. You can quickly reduce the cost of new manufacturing materials if recycling is carried out wisely.
Facts About Recycling Juice Boxes
For many reasons, some people staunchly believe that cartons and juice boxes are not recyclable. We’re here to tell you that these are common misconceptions you can quickly clear with our debunking facts.
Juice Boxes and Cartons ARE recyclable.
While the infamous misconception remains that juice boxes are not recyclable, the reality is that they are. These cartons are made with mostly paper. Therefore, their recycling factor is 94%. You can easily recycle juice boxes and cartons without any hassle. Multiple carton recycling programs have been introduced nationwide to help reduce our wastage of juice boxes.
Cartons can be recycled even if they don’t have the recycle symbol.
While the recycling symbol makes it easy to recognize recyclable products, most juice boxes are not found with that easily recognizable logo. While administering the logo on these juice boxes is on pace, it’s best to get your cartons and juice boxes checked by your local recycling centers. They can quickly review the product and tell you if you can recycle them or not.
Some people believe Juice Boxes come pre-coated with wax, making them unrecyclable.
This is entirely false, as cartons do not contain wax. Most modern juice boxes are made with paper and aluminum, and plastic layering is done for protective and aesthetic purposes. These coats are merely done to protect the products inside the carton and keep them fresh for daily use. The plastic films can be easily removed to uncover precious paper fibers that one can use easily for new products.
Process of Juice Box Recycling
So how do you recycle the juice box after you send it away for recycling? First, it ends up in material recovery, where the usable cartons and boxes are picked out and separated from the rest of the waste material.
Then the selected cartons are shipped off to paper mills. In these mills, they’re utilized in reused paper production, which is done by mixing the cartons with water in a massive blending machine. During this process, the excessive coatings of plastics and aluminum separate from paper parts. The paper fibers can then be used to produce recycled paper, tissues, and even building materials.
Then from the separation technique, the plastic and the aluminum remnants are collected separately from the machine. They are then repurposed accordingly to their functions and uses. But sometimes, you will see a mix of Poly/Al mix lying around, which is a material waste from this separation process.
Before Recycling, Make Sure That:
- You follow the recycling guidelines issued by your recycling communities and their proper disposal techniques.
- Ensure that the cartons and boxes you recycle are empty of any product.
- Rinsing the boxes beforehand is a bonus step that helps with recycling.
- Do not try to flatten out your boxes and cartons, as they will eventually slow down the recycling process.
- If you’re doubtful of the material you wish to recycle, stick to the basic guidelines and don’t risk it. It’s better to miss out on this than contaminate your community’s streams of recyclable objects.
Conclusion
Recycling juice boxes and cartons are important in reducing waste and promoting sustainability. Despite common misconceptions, these items are easily recyclable due to their high paper content. By recycling juice boxes, we can conserve energy, reduce costs, and contribute to a greener environment.
Additionally, through material recovery, the cartons are sent to paper mills, where they are used to produce new paper products. It’s crucial to understand the recycling process and properly dispose of these items to impact the environment positively.
