I have a paper-based take-out container from a restaurant take-home meal:
The inside is lined with some waterproof coating. I can't tell if it is wax or plastic.
"Please recycle this container", it says. Would it be OK to recycle it as paper along with the usual curbside recycling? Or should I treat it like a Tetra Pak container? Or maybe I could toss it in the city compost?
(Location is Vancouver, Canada, if it makes a difference.)
Since the original poster is in Vancouver, British Columbia, here is a response to this same question from the Recycling Council of British Columbia ([email protected])
Summary: Rinse and remove grease soaked portions (garbage) before placing in the Blue Bin.
That container you have is a tricky item to deal with. Since it is product packaging, it is accepted in the blue bin under the Recycle BC program in the category of cartons and paper cups (please refer to the information here: https://recyclebc.ca/what-can-i-recycle/#1489681710401-fac7cf1f-7218). Sounds like the grease hasn’t contaminated most of the paper in this container, so we think that it would still be worth recycling in order for the paper content to not be wasted. It can’t be put in the organics stream due to the plastic (for explanation, see video here: https://www.rcbc.ca/resources/faqs/composting3). Just be sure to clean this item as you would for other recyclables before putting it with your curbside recycling. If you think that the item is too soiled due to the grease, then it should be placed in the garbage, unfortunately.
Since there is no such thing as #8, #81 composite paper/plastic can only be recycled by separating the plastic from the paper, and in the U.S., many recycling companies accept this material, but I was unable to find out the method that they use, if they even use one. However, Canada may have different regulations, and I would doubt that the material is accepted for recycling.
Look here for the different materials:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling_codes
