Sofia Martinez
Clamshell containers are a tricky material to recycle. They are often made from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), a plastic that is widely recycled and accepted by most recycling programs. However, clamshells are not always accepted by recycling programs due to the unique challenges they pose in the recycling process. Clamshells are lightweight, durable, and clear, making them ideal for packaging various products, especially food items. But their distinct manufacturing process and physical characteristics can cause issues when mixed with other plastics, leading to contamination and lower-quality recycled materials.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Difficulty in Recycling | Clamshells are made of a material that's easy to recycle in theory but remarkably hard to recycle in practice. |
| Reasons for Difficulty | Clamshells are hard to differentiate from other plastics, have strong adhesives that are difficult to remove, produce more fine particles when processed, and have a different bulk density than PET bottles. |
| Curbside Recycling | Clamshells are usually not accepted by curbside recycling services. |
| Recycling Facilities | Many recycling facilities do not accept clamshells, even though they are made of recyclable PET plastic, because they lose money by dealing with lesser-quality PET plastic when clamshells are mixed in with bottles and jugs. |
| Recycling Symbols | Clamshells typically have a #1 symbol, which is usually accepted by curbside recycling. However, clamshells are often an exception to this rule. |
| Consumer Awareness | Increasing consumer awareness about recycling can lead to pressure on manufacturers to use recyclable materials and on governments to improve recycling facilities. |
| Cleaning and Preparation | Clamshell packaging should be cleaned thoroughly to remove food residue and contaminants. Labels and adhesive stickers should also be removed before recycling. |
| Alternative Solutions | If local recycling programs do not accept clamshells, individuals can avoid purchasing products with clamshell packaging or contact the manufacturer to express their concerns. |
| Technology Advancements | New technologies, such as Advanced Recycling, will increase the amount of plastics that can be recycled. Local recyclers are also adopting optical and infrared sorting technologies to improve the recycling of clamshells. |
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What You'll Learn
Clamshells are made of recyclable PET plastic
Clamshells are a tricky material to recycle. They are often made from Polyethylene Terephthalate, or PET plastic, which is the most commonly recycled plastic in the world. This type of plastic is identified by the #1 symbol, which is usually accepted for recycling. However, clamshells are an exception to this rule. Many curbside recycling services do not accept clamshells, even though they are made from recyclable PET plastic.
The reason for this discrepancy lies in the distinct manufacturing processes used to create clamshells and bottles, which results in different grades of PET products. Clamshells are produced through thermoforming, while bottles are created via blow moulding. This means that clamshells and bottles have different bulk densities, making it challenging to process them together. When recycled together, the clamshells can contaminate the final PET bales, reducing the market rate for recycling facilities.
Additionally, clamshells often have strong adhesives from labels that are difficult to remove. When processed, they produce more fine particles than bottles, and they break into different-sized chips, further complicating the recycling process. The lightweight nature of clamshells also makes them difficult to sort once they reach the recycling facility, as they behave like paper on the sorting conveyor belt.
Despite these challenges, it is important to note that clamshells are indeed recyclable. Some municipalities offer curbside recycling for clamshells, and there are ongoing developments in technology, such as Advanced Recycling, that aim to increase the recycling percentages for all plastics, including clamshells. Consumers can play a role in improving recycling practices by demanding better options and increasing pressure on manufacturers to use recyclable materials.
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They are difficult to differentiate from other plastics
Clamshell containers are made of a plastic called Polyethylene terephthalate, or PET for short. PET plastic has a #1 symbol on it, which is usually one of the few plastic numbers accepted for curbside recycling. However, clamshells are an exception to this rule. A large number of curbside recycling services do not accept clamshells.
Clamshells are difficult to differentiate from other plastics. When processed at material recovery facilities (MRFs), operators and sorting equipment struggle to differentiate clamshells from other similarly shaped containers made of different plastics. This is because clamshells are very light and once flattened, they behave like paper on the sorting conveyor belt. Even facilities with advanced sorting machinery and a large number of employees have trouble differentiating clamshells from other plastics due to the high volume and speed at which they need to be sorted.
The bulk density of clamshells also differs from PET bottles, making it challenging to process them together. When clamshells are mixed in with bottles and jugs, the recycling facilities lose money by dealing with lesser-quality PET plastic. As a result, many recycling programs and MRFs won't accept clamshells for recycling, even though they are made of recyclable PET plastic.
To recycle clamshells, it is important to check with your local recycling facility to see if they accept this type of packaging. You can also enter your ZIP code in an online recycling search to find a local recycling solution for clamshells. If there are no recycling solutions near you, avoid purchasing products with clamshell packaging and consider contacting the manufacturer to express your concerns.
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They have different bulk densities than PET bottles
Plastic clamshells are typically made of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), a plastic with the recycling code #1. This is the most commonly recycled plastic in the world. However, clamshells are harder to recycle than PET bottles because they have different bulk densities.
When plastic clamshells are processed at material recovery facilities (MRFs), operators and sorting equipment struggle to differentiate them from other similarly shaped containers made of different plastics. This is because clamshells are lightweight and flat, so they behave like paper on the sorting conveyor belt. As a result, it is challenging to separate them from other materials, even for facilities with advanced sorting machinery.
The different bulk densities of clamshells and PET bottles mean that they cannot be processed together. When clamshells are mixed in with bottles and jugs, the recycling facilities lose money by dealing with lesser-quality PET plastic. Therefore, many recycling programs and MRFs won't accept clamshells for recycling, even though they are made of recyclable PET plastic.
To recycle clamshells properly, recyclers need to separate them from bottles. Most recyclers are set up to recycle bottles, not clamshells, so the presence of clamshells complicates the process and lowers the quality of the end product. This is because clamshells break into different-sized chips than plastic bottles and melt at different temperatures. Additionally, clamshells often have strong adhesives that are difficult to remove, further reducing the quality of the recycled material.
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They are hard to sort once they're in the recycling facility
Clamshell packaging is a popular choice for food products like spinach, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, and eggs. It is lightweight, durable, and designed to protect its contents. However, despite being made of recyclable PET plastic, clamshells are notoriously difficult to recycle.
One of the main issues arises once the clamshells reach the recycling facility. Since clamshells are so light, once flattened, they behave like paper on the sorting conveyor belt. This makes them hard to separate from other materials, even for facilities with advanced sorting machinery and a large number of employees. The sorting equipment struggles to differentiate clamshells from other similarly-shaped containers made of different plastics.
The distinct manufacturing processes used to create clamshells and bottles result in different grades of PET products, potentially making them incompatible. Clamshells also break into different-sized chips than plastic bottles and often have strong adhesives that are challenging to remove. Blending clamshells and bottles together can lead to a lower-quality end product, which is undesirable for recycling facilities.
To address these challenges, some local recyclers are adopting optical and infrared sorting technology, which will significantly increase recycling percentages for clamshell packaging. Consumers can also play a role by checking with their local recycling program to see if clamshell packaging is accepted and choosing products with clear recycling instructions.
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Not all recycling programs accept clamshells
Clamshells are made from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), a plastic with a #1 symbol, which is usually one of the few plastic numbers accepted for recycling. However, clamshells are an exception to this rule, with many curbside recycling services refusing to accept them. This is because clamshells are made using a different manufacturing process, thermoforming, which results in a different grade of PET product. This means that clamshells have a different bulk density than PET bottles, making it difficult to process them together.
When plastic clamshells are processed at material recovery facilities (MRFs), operators and sorting equipment struggle to differentiate them from other similarly shaped containers made of different plastics. This results in contamination of the final PET bales, reducing their market value. Recycling facilities lose money when clamshells are mixed in with bottles and jugs, leading to many facilities refusing to accept clamshells for recycling, even though they are made of recyclable PET plastic.
Additionally, clamshells often have labels with strong adhesives that are difficult to remove, creating further challenges for recycling. They also break into different-sized chips than plastic bottles and melt at different temperatures, making it difficult to create a high-quality recycled product when clamshells and bottles are mixed.
While clamshells can be recycled, it is important to check with your local recycling facility to see if they accept this type of packaging. In some cases, local recyclers are investing in advanced technology, such as optical and infrared sorting, to improve their ability to process clamshells and increase recycling percentages.
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Frequently asked questions
Clamshell plastic containers are technically recyclable, but they are difficult to recycle in practice.
Clamshells are made of a type of plastic called Polyethylene-terephthalate (PET), which is usually recycled. However, clamshells are often produced using a different manufacturing process called thermoforming, resulting in a different grade of PET that may be incompatible with other recycled PET products.
Clamshells have strong adhesives that are challenging to remove. They produce more fine particles during processing and have a different bulk density than PET bottles. This makes it difficult to process clamshells and bottles together, resulting in "contamination".
Before recycling, ensure clamshells are clean and free of food residue and labels. Check with your local recycling program to see if they accept clamshells. If not, keep them out of your recycling bin and consider alternative disposal methods, such as composting.
If your local recycling program does not accept clamshells, you can try to reuse the containers or avoid purchasing products packaged in clamshells. Contact the manufacturer to express your concerns about their packaging choices and encourage them to switch to more sustainable alternatives.
