How to clean and dispose of the milk carton correctly?
Learn how to recycle your milk cartons and remove unpleasant smells from them in a sustainable way
Milk cartons (long-life carton packs) arrived in Brazil at the beginning of the 70s. Among the advantages of this material for food storage, the possibility of preserving the food for a long period of time, the saving of energy stand out. electric, due to the fact that the closed packages do not need refrigeration, and the lightness of the material (a milk box is approximately 28 grams), facilitating the logistics and transport of the material.
With these advantages, the boxes are widely used all over the world today. In 2013, 175.5 billion Tetra Pak packages were used worldwide. Of this total, only 24.5% was recycled.
The greatest difficulty involved in the recycling of carton packs is due to the fact that it is a composite material, that is, the combination of different materials in various layers of the packaging makes the process difficult due to the need for pre-separation of its components, which have characteristics different physical and chemical ones.
A milk carton has in its composition approximately 75% of paper, 20% of plastic (low density polyethylene) and 5% of aluminum.
Even so, all components can be recycled, a process that occurs from the separation of paper fibers with the layers of plastic and aluminum. These fibers can be used to manufacture shoe insoles, paper towels, light packaging, corrugated cardboard, egg boxes, white paper and even return as carton packaging again. The plastic and aluminum composite is also being used for the production of various objects, such as the production of tiles, which are waterproof and resistant to bending.
How to recycle?
In order for the milk carton to be disposed of, it is necessary to separate them for selective collection, as long as they are empty. Cleaning this material, even though it is not a prerequisite for recycling, helps ensure that the packages are empty, prevents the emergence of unpleasant odors, contamination of other recyclable items that are in the place and prevents the appearance of pests such as rats and cockroaches. This process also facilitates the collection and recycling of materials or any other packaging.
However, this cleaning process is very difficult. This difficulty in removing the odor and traces of food from the packaging causes a considerable amount of water to be used, a fact that is unreasonable due to the scarcity of this resource, which may not be a sustainable attitude. When washing, drinking water is wasted in addition to the discharge of sewage generated in the collection system.
To wash or not to wash milk cartons?
This question does not have an easy answer. The recycling process of these materials is carried out by melting them at high temperatures, so a little milk or juice contained in the box will not make any difference, as it will turn to smoke that will be neutralized in the treatment of gaseous effluents from the process.
However, when not washing, the advantages presented above can generate unwanted odors, such as the appearance of pests and even contamination of the material. So the recommendation is to wash them, however, in a sustainable way. Below are some tips to avoid this waste and still clean the material in a sustainable way:
- Reuse water used for washing dishes or washing machine after use;
- Use a vegetable sponge;
- Open the box with the help of scissors, in order to facilitate cleaning and save water.
The materials present in milk cartons, if disposed of incorrectly, can take many years to decompose naturally. As it is a recyclable material, its reuse reduces the consumption of raw material, energy and water used in the manufacture of a new material. Therefore, its correct destination must be carried out.
recycling points
Recycle your long life packages at the points indicated on our website (there are many all over Brazil) or donate to children's schools to carry out activities with the children. As already mentioned, it is recommended to wash the packages before that, with reuse water if possible, thus avoiding the bad smell or attraction of pests.
