Is your plastic food packaging recyclable?

When you look around the supermarket, plastic wrapped food is everywhere.

From biscuit wrappers to yoghurt tubs and even plastic lined boxes, it’s hard to avoid.

It can also be challenging to figure out which items can be recycled.

A recent WWF study found that of 82 common packaged products, only 20% were recyclable at home. Another 55% were only recyclable if some elements were recycled elsewhere.

Find out which items made the cut and where there’s still work to be done at How recyclable are your favourite food products?

Top tip from Planet Ark: Some plastics are more recyclable than others and factors such as shape, weight, inks and laminates can also affect recyclability.

Where to find out more

Here on the Sunshine Coast, almost as many recyclables end up in the waste bin as the recycling bin. 

By following the simple tips in council’s Recycle Right video series, you can help prevent recyclables going to landfill:

• In the kitchen
• After a party
• With your pets
• In the bathroom
• In your home office
• With your takeaway

_Top tip: Soft plastics such as lolly wrappers or pasta packets cannot be placed in your kerbside recycling bin. Return them to your local Coles or Woolworths supermarket where they can be recycled through the REDCycle program._  

Golden rules for kerbside recycling on the Sunshine Coast:

• Keep it clean.
• Keep it simple.
• Size does matter – items placed in your recycling bin should be bigger than a yoghurt pot.
• Keep it safe for workers who have to sort your rubbish.
• Rethink and avoid – reuse, reduce or avoid where possible.

Community groups and schools can also register for council’s free recycling education programs.

This story was originally published on Living Smart and has been republished with permission.