ponderings from the dairy aisle
Oct. 11th, 2006 11:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cellio
Most of the time (where I shop), milk comes in plastic containers.
Occasionally, it comes in the waxy cardboard ones instead. Last night I
actually had a choice, and realized I don't know which one is more
green. Plastic can be recycled (good) and the cardboard can't, but I
have the impression that producing the plastic container is more
destructive to the environment -- and, of course, you also have to
factor in the costs of recycling. Trash in a landfill also imposes a
cost, and means that cost of production is borne entirely by one use.
Overall, I don't know which one is less bad.
Which would you buy?
I don't have an answer, but...
Date: 2006-10-11 06:39 pm (UTC)-The coating on paper cartons is polyethylene. So, really, it's a choice between all-plastic and plastic-coated paper.
-Most of the "organic" milk that you can get in the grocery store comes in a paper carton. I'd like to think that they've done the research and made the most environmentally-friendly choice, but it could be a matter of cost or customer perception.
-What about shelf-life and waste? I don't know, but I suspect that plastic can be made more airtight and leak-resistant. That may translate into less spoilage or other waste.
I have a suspicion that plastic is slightly better, but like you, I don't know.
Re: I don't have an answer, but...
Date: 2006-10-11 11:14 pm (UTC)