[GreenYes] Re: plastic? or wax? coated milk cartons

["Eric Lombardi" <eric@no.address>]

I think Matt is correct on this ... in fact, I was told at a USCC
conference a couple years ago that wax was phased out almost 20 years
ago!!

Eric

-----Original Message-----
From: "Matthew Cotton" <mattcotton@no.address>
Sent 11/28/2007 8:15:57 PM
To: "Jewell, Rebecca" <RJewell@no.address>
Cc: GreenYes@no.address, crra_members@no.address, "Spence, Bill - MRF" <BSpence1@no.address>
Subject: [GreenYes] Re: plastic? or wax? coated milk cartons

Rebecca -

You might want to check with someone at Tetra-Pak or any other maker of "plasticized" milk cartons. I don't think there have been any truly "waxed" milk cartons for many years now. (So it's fairly safe to assume it's plastic).

Matthew Cotton

Integrated Waste Management Consulting, LLC

19375 Lake City Road

Nevada City, CA  95959

(530) 265-4560

Fax (530) 265-4547

matt@no.address

www.mattcotton.com

Join us at the US Composting Council's 16th Annual Conference & Trade Show, February 9 - 12th, 2008 at the Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland, California.  Check it out at www.compostingcouncil.org

On Nov 28, 2007, at 4:12 PM, Jewell, Rebecca wrote:

I've been reading up on gable tops and a practice of coating them in layers of polyethylene instead of wax.

 

Obviously this has an effect on their suitability for recycling vs composting.

 

Is there some way that one could determine, when purchasing milk, if the carton is coated with plastic or wax?

 

Thanks in advance,

Rebecca

 

Rebecca Jewell
Recycling Programs Manager
Davis Street Station for Material Recycling & Transfer
A Waste Management company
510-563-4214

Fun Fact: Waste Management recycled more than 5 million tons of commodities last year; preventing the release of more than 3.4 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.