milk cartons

[ladysunrunner]

organic milk in a nonrecyclable tetra-pak carton, or non-organic milk in a recyclable #1 plastic bottle?

there's so many reasons i'd rather buy organic milk, but it really bugs me that i can't recycle the cartons :-(

Comments

[nymphatacita]

Why not just get the organic milk in a recyclable plastic bottle?

Forgive me if I'm ignorant, but I don't drink milk (and he buys it rarely, and always in a plastic carton), and we can't recycle plastic here anyway. And by "here" I mean "within a thousand miles" afaik.

I'm assuming tetra-pak is that rectangular carton that doesn't require refrigeration until opened?

[ladysunrunner]

because it's not sold that way :-) the organic milk only seems to come in one kind of container. and it does require refrigeration...it's your standard cardboard-ish milk carton.

i just checked my city recycling again, and i was right, they don't take them. but i'm sticking with organic anyway.

[nymphatacita]

But what I'm saying is that it is sold in a plastic container, so I don't understand....

[riverrocks]

Most of the cardboard for dairy and/or frozen food containers is waxed or otherwise coated with something that makes it unacceptable for recycling.

[riverrocks]

In my area, there are food co-ops that carry organic milk in returnable glass bottles. This is what I buy. The milk tastes better and it is produced by local farmers so I'm also supporting a small, local business. Sometimes, if there are no certified organic dairy farm in your area, you can find a dairy that isn't certified organic but follows all the practices.

If you're buying your organic milk at a place like Whole Foods, it is worth asking them to carry milk in glass bottles if they can find it. The ones in my area do now, after people I know asked them to.

If I had to choose between the options you listed, I would buy the organic milk in the nonrecyclable box.

[ladysunrunner]

that is a really good idea! i don't think i've even looked at whole foods - i mostly shop at a regular grocery store and only go to WF when i want something that isn't available at the other store. but i will certainly look around! glass bottles did occur to me but i was thinking more of an old-fashioned milkman-delivering-to-your-door context...

[krasota]

We can buy milk in returnable glass bottles here. We can also buy it in paper cartons, which are recyclable in my area (with the brown paper).

[shadedtwilight]

an organic dairy around me uses glass bottles for their milk...maybe there's a local source around you that does too?

"Recycle" is not a magic word.

[mspurrmeow]

http://www.tetrapack.com/content/frset_main.asp?navid=34&show=100233&newstype=&... )

Re: "Recycle" is not a magic word.

[ladysunrunner]

i'm glad to hear that :-) thanks!