Reuse and Recycle Your Egg Cartons

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Egg cartons take a surprising trip after the eggs vanish. Cardboard and paper cartons dive into recycling bins and pop back as brand-new paper products, like a magic show happening right in front of you. Plastic cartons, often marked with recycling numbers 1 or 2, change into handy things scattered all around. Foam or Styrofoam cartons can’t recycle through usual pickups and need special drop-off spots to stay out of landfills. Recycling slashes trash and lets the planet catch a breath. Knowing where empty cartons end up truly matters. This tiny move helps Earth a lot and pays off big time. Discover how tossing simple stuff in the right bin sparks giant changes everywhere – it’s worth sticking around for.

The answer is yes — with a few caveats:

  • Paper or cardboard cartons are recyclable, just like any other paper without toxic ink. Styrofoam egg cartons are not recyclable.
  • Since recycling requires energy, and recycled waste still goes to landfill, putting your egg carton in a compost pile is a better solution that recycling it.
  • If you put a cracked egg back into the egg carton, or an egg is cracked and it leaks out, you cannot recycle the carton anymore because of food residue.
Egg carton to be reused or recycled

Better Alternatives to Recycling

Before you recycle your egg carton is use it for compost, try reusing it!

  • Give them to people with hens. They love to reuse them and are always on the lookout for more. Oh and don’t worry about mites or parasytes because they clean the carton before reusing it.
  • Use them as seed starters! Fill both the lid and wells with soil.

Love,

G.


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