[GreenYes] Egg Carton Recyclability

["Pablo Collins" <collins@csandh.com>]

In response to the question about egg carton recyclability the answer is
a qualified yes.  Egg cartons are primarily produced from old newspaper.
(It is the newspaper ink which provides the gray color.)  The only
potential hindrance to recycling would be the use of binders or other
additives which keep the fibers from separating once the carton is
placed in the hydropulper.

While the primary ingredient in the egg carton is old news, the carton
should probably be recycled in a mixed paper program, one that takes
folding cartons.  Newsprint (groundwood) fibers are not especially
strong to start with and by their third or fourth run through the
recycling system there may be little strength left, though they can make
good filler in numerous applications. 

Egg cartons are a category of molded pulp packaging - a good alternative
to foams and other protective packaging for a wide variety of products.
For more information you can go the International Molded Pulp
Environmental Packaging Association web site at  http://www.impepa.com/ 


Pablo Collins
Paper Recycling Coalition
100% Recycled Paperboard Alliance (www.rpa100.com)
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