Milk is an indispensable drink in every family’s refrigerator because it is very nutritious and good for animals. At any age, we must also supplement with fresh milk because they contain a lot of calcium, vitamins, and minerals necessary for the growth and strength of bones and other parts of the body. Therefore, on average, each family with 4 members will use up 1 milk carton per day. And there are many families on this planet and their demand for milk is very large, leading to a lot of milk cartons being discharged into the environment. This has created a huge amount of waste that is harmful to the environment.
To solve the problem of recycling them is a very necessary thing. In addition to being used to store milk and juice, you can recycle them into cool things for your home. We will introduce you to interesting ideas through the article “How To Recycle Milk Cartons: 10 Cool Ideas For Your Home”. But first, let’s learn the information about recycling milk cartons.
Let’s get started!
Contents
What Materials Are Milk Cartons Composed Of?
According to the Carton Council, a trade organization for the carton industry, milk cartons are manufactured from cardboard coated on both sides with a thin layer of food-safe polyethylene (commonly referred to as PET or PETE or by number) recycle 1). Stable milk cartons (those that don’t need to be refrigerated until the seal is broken) also have a thin layer of aluminum foil on the inside of the packaging. Other items that come in similar boxes include juices, egg substitutes, and non-dairy milk (such as soy or almond milk).
Can Milk Cartons Be Recycled?
Because the outside of the milk carton is made of paper, everyone thinks it can be recycled. however as we mentioned, in addition to paper they also have plastic and aluminum. More than 85% of manufacturers use these materials in combination with paper to make milk cartons. They ensure that the milk carton can better preserve the milk and increase the durability of the can.
In most cases, more than 85% of your manufacturers will use these components as a protective layer inside the box. This layer ensures the strength of the box and the ability to hold milk adequately.
However, this class is not a concern. This is because polyethylene and aluminum can also be recycled. Typically, the recycler will need to separate them and transport them to the appropriate plant.
Yes, milk cartons can be recycled. However, keep in mind that certain recycling centers do not accept cartons of milk for recycling. Therefore, it is best to check with your local recycling facility before releasing them.
Why Are Milk Cartons Harmful to the Environment?
You know, one of the most important aspects of going green is buying anything is making sure it’s eco-friendly. And, while you may have rejected it a few years ago, that’s no longer true.
Now you have to exercise extreme caution when purchasing items. What do you think? This includes you when you buy their milk and milk cartons.
Milk cartons, in case you didn’t know, are bad for the environment. You may wonder why. This is because they cause a lot of damage to the environment.
For starters, they are bad because they contribute significantly to environmental degradation. Although it is possible to recycle milk cartons, it is quite complicated. Furthermore, not all recycling sites accept cartons of milk.
As a result, a large number of milk cartons end up in landfills, where they pollute the environment. Guess what, at the beginning of 2021, the mixture of paper and plastic containers sent 89 million tons of packaged waste to landfills.
These landfills then release harmful gases that pollute the environment. Worse, some of this waste residue will be discharged into water sources (rivers, lakes, seas). And they are harmful to aquatic life as well as humans.
In short, they are bad for the environment.
Can Milk Cartons Be Biodegradable?
When you say biodegradable, do you mean an item that is organically degradable or not? This, in turn, makes the thing non-existent after a while. So when it comes to your milk carton, we understand your curiosity.
They are biodegradable. You shouldn’t be surprised by what we’ve said about their paper composition. Paper is made from trees, which are natural and allow microorganisms to live on them.
However, keep in mind that the biodegradation process is not the same as that of paper. This is because milk cartons are usually made of a thin layer of plastic.
As a result, it may take up to five years to decompose completely. It may take several months in some cases.
How To Recycle Milk Cartons To Protect The Environment
Let’s say you’re not particularly interested in recycling your milk carton. Or you can’t find a place to recycle them. Do not be concerned; this is not the end. You can use your milk carton to use for many different things.
So do you want to join? Here are some pretty creative popular options to turn those useless milk cartons into interesting and useful things for your home and especially contribute to improving the environment. Check out our 10 ways how to recycle milk cartons.
1. Protect Floors From Damage Caused By Furniture
When moving furniture, you can create dents on the floor. Even switching it to pick something can make things worse.
However, you can use milk cartons to protect the floor. The paper for making milk cartons is cardboard when folded, it will create a layer that is both soft to protect the floor and furniture from friction and hard to bear the force of the furniture on them. Therefore, movements from moving furniture will cause less damage and scratches to your floor.
All you have to do is cut off the excess of your milk carton. Then, insert it between the legs of the furniture and the floor. You can also be using them for a bed, table, or even a pointed couch.
2. Make A Storage Box
The second tip on how to recycle milk cartons is that your cartons can always be used as containers. Due to their size and shape, they are ideal for storing a wide variety of loads and goods. Small items can be perfectly stored in the milk container such as pens, paper clips, crayons, etc.
You can then place them on your workshop or desk. They also fit in your drawer. Or they can be a great decoration on your desk and make your workspace tidier.
However, before using them for recycling, for this reason, make sure you rinse them thoroughly. You should not take this lightly. Otherwise, the pens you put inside the box will smell like yogurt. We guess you don’t want that.
3. Planter Container
If you love gardening, you’ve come to the right place. You can make a beautiful planter box out of a milk carton.
You simply fill your milk carton with dirt. Then make some small holes around the bottom. Then you are ready to plant. You can also decorate milk cartons to make them look great with colors, ribbons, and decorative accessories. Make sure your garden is unique
They can also be used to incubate seeds indoors. The great thing about them is that they can always be labeled. This way, you’ll know exactly what’s inside each box.
4. House For Birds
Another cool way how to recycle milk cartons is to turn them into a home for the birds. The size and shape of the milk cartons are very suitable for you to use to make a birdhouse. And you can complete it without too much difficulty.
All you have to do is cut a hole around the side of the box. Then, fill the container with pine needles, a straw, or any other natural liner. The idea is to make it seem like a soft and comfortable nest for the bird. You can also decorate it with colors and accessories to make them more eye-catching and you can use them as decorations for your garden or balcony.
However, make sure the milk carton is placed in a high place and easily visible to the birds to nest. Moreover, rats will have no place in your birdhouse.
5. Protect Plants From Pests
You can also use your milk carton as a plant protection necklace. This will help your plants avoid attack by slugs and bugs. A perfect answer to how to recycle milk cartons to protect the environment.
You just need to cut the milk carton. Then, using the carton, wrap a necklace around the seedling. This allows your plants to mature without worrying about garden pests.
However, keep in mind that when the tree begins to mature. Then the collar should be removed.
6. Make A Money-Saving Box
This is a great idea to recycle milk cartons. Instead, you have to buy expensive savings tubes to spend money that is not to your liking. Then you can use the milk carton to create your money tube.
Starting from the shape of the milk box, you can unleash your creativity. But first, you have to wash them or your money will smell like stale milk. Then you drill a small hole to put money or use the mouth of the box to make a slot for money. You can decorate the box with colors and decorative accessories.
Do this with children so they can learn frugality and enjoy saving money from an early age.
7. Make A NightLight
You may wonder why a milk carton can be a night light. But this is one of the ways to make your wonderful night light that can also solve the problem of how to recycle milk cartons.
Night lights often have lampshades. They get dirty very easily and need to be replaced frequently. However, they are very expensive and difficult to buy.
You can use milk cartons to make pretty lampshades according to your preferences without spending money. It’s great, isn’t it!
8. Toys For Children
Making handmade children’s toys is a great way how to recycle milk cartons. You can always open your paper milk cartons and use them to make other fun creations. For example, you can always create little houses for dolls, Lego figures, or birds. You can even repaint them for the best results.
Join the children in this creative work to stimulate their creativity and imagination, and they will have a lot of fun making their fun toys out of milk cartons. used.
9. Paint Blender
If you’re working on a painting project, you can also use your milk carton as a mixer. It’s also great for storage or as a jar to wash brushes.
You can experiment with smaller numbers to check the results. Then you can put them to use to be sure of their effectiveness.
To recycle them in this way you simply cut off the top of the box and keep the body. You can also design them for your convenience. Remember to wash and clean them as soon as you’re done.
10. Making Decorations
Last but not least, used milk cartons are valuable materials to decorate your meals or decorate your home.
You can freely create decorations from milk cartons such as banners, containers, decorative stickers, etc. Make sure the process of creating them will be fun and interesting. You will be very happy when your house or party becomes beautiful and splendid thanks to the decorations you make and especially they are made from discarded paper boxes.
Conclusion
Every year, thousands of milk cartons are discharged into the environment, causing serious pollution to the environment. Although they can decompose on their own, the time it takes for a carton of milk to disappear is very long and the rate at which milk cartons are thrown into the environment is very fast. So to be able to protect the environment we should recycle them as much as possible. Hopefully, this article has provided you with interesting suggestions on how to recycle milk cartons. The ways we offer will not only help you deal with your family’s waste milk cartons but can also make your home more beautiful and convenient.
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