Are Egg Cartons Recyclable?

Are egg cartons recyclable? Yes, they’re recyclable if they’re clear, made of paper, or made of cardboard. You have to avoid placing broken eggs back in the carton because they leave food residue.

If the carton is not clean and dry, it’s no longer recyclable. In most cases, you can recycle plastic egg cartons, but be sure to check that it is Plastic #1 by checking for the number on the bottom inside of the packaging.

Most styrofoam and foam egg cartons are not recyclable. Since they can’t be recycled, it’s best to find some creative ways to reuse them.

Related: Is Egg Shell Biodegradable?

Recycling pulp paper egg cartons

According to the appropriately titled, eggcartons.com, pulp paper egg cartons are made from 100% recycled fibers. That means the cartons are recyclable and biodegradable.

If you’re interested in getting an egg brand that sells their eggs in pulp paper cartons, Wegmans recently launched their sustainable egg packaging chain-wide. When you’ve finished your eggs, all you have to do is put them in your recycling bin, or take them to your local recycling facility.

Recycling plastic egg cartons

Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs is a brand that once used paper and cardboard packaging for their cartons. But after researching and doing their own testing, they came to the conclusion that recycled plastic egg cartons were better for the environment. They based this conclusion on resource depletion, carbon footprint, human wellbeing, and ecosystem quality.

And they’re not just saying that to sound good. The company hired a Canadian research company, Quantis, to help them come to this decision. Nellie’s Free Range Eggs also use recycled plastic to make their cartons

When you do recycle your plastic egg carton, make sure you send it to a facility that accepts #1 plastics. If you can’t find one near you, you can look into Nellie’s Take Back P rogram.

Are egg cartons compostable?

According to Compost Guide, egg cartons are compostable if they’re made of paper or cardboard. They warn you not to add plastic or styrofoam materials to your compost. You should also not add cartons that are wet from food residue.

How to reuse styrofoam egg cartons?

This Old House has a lot of great ideas for reusing egg cartons. Among the ideas they suggest include making them into a cushion ornament or a makeshift bird feeder.