Weighing Plastic Clamshells: What's The Damage?

Clamshells are a type of plastic packaging that is used to contain a variety of products, from burgers to scissors. They are popular with retailers because they are lightweight, durable, and cheaper to make than cardboard or other alternatives. However, clamshells are also a recycling nightmare. Despite being technically recyclable, few are recycled in the US.

Plastic clamshells are a recycling nightmare

Clamshells are popular with retailers because the product is visible on both sides, they can be hung or freestanding, and they are harder to shoplift. They are also much lighter than cardboard or other alternatives, saving energy during transport, and they are cheaper to make and more durable.

However, this convenience comes at a cost to the environment. Clamshells are single-use plastics, and their popularity means that they contribute significantly to plastic waste. In Europe, product packaging accounts for 59% of all plastic waste by weight, while in the US, this figure is likely closer to 65%.

While some companies are taking steps to improve the recyclability of clamshells, such as partnering with sustainable recycling companies, more needs to be done to address this issue.

Clamshells are single-use plastics

Clamshells are popular with retailers because they are lightweight, saving energy during transport, as well as being cheap to make and durable. The product is visible on both sides, it can be hung or freestanding, and it is harder to shoplift as the package is bigger than the product inside.

However, clamshells are difficult to open and can pose a safety risk to consumers. They are also hard to recycle. This is because they are made from a variety of materials, including foam plastic and paperboard, and they often contain residues of the products they contain, which can contaminate the recycling process.

Despite the challenges of recycling clamshells, some companies are taking steps to address the issue. For example, Ridwell, a company in Portland, has partnered with Green Impact Plastics to responsibly recycle its members' clamshells, keeping over 112,000 pounds of clamshells out of landfills.

It is important that manufacturers and the plastics industry take action to increase the recycling of clamshells and other single-use plastics. This could include improving the design of clamshells to make them more recyclable, as well as increasing the use of recycled plastic in packaging.

Clamshells are popular with retailers

Clamshells are a type of packaging that consists of two halves joined by a hinge, allowing the structure to close. They can be made from a variety of materials, including foam plastic and paperboard. Clamshells are often used for fast food, such as burgers, and can be hung or freestanding.

The global packaging market is worth $700 billion a year and is growing at 5.6% per year. Plastics account for one-third of this market, making packaging the largest single market for plastics in the US. While technically recyclable, few clamshells are recycled in the US. This needs to change if product manufacturers and the plastics industry are to meet their commitments to increase the use of recycled plastic in packaging.

Clamshells are made from foam plastic or paperboard

Clamshells are difficult to recycle, despite technically being recyclable. In Europe, product packaging generates 59% of all plastic waste by weight, while in the United States, this figure is likely closer to 65%. The global packaging market is worth $700 billion a year and is growing at 5.6% per year, with plastics accounting for one-third of this market.

Clamshells are a headache for the recycling industry

Clamshells are a type of plastic packaging that is a major headache for the recycling industry. They are tough to open and often have strong adhesives on them that are hard to remove. They are also made from different types of plastic with varying densities, which means they break into different-sized chips and melt at different temperatures. This makes them difficult to sort and recycle.

Clamshells are popular with retailers because they are lightweight, saving energy during transport, and cheaper to make than cardboard or other alternatives. They can be hung or freestanding, and they make it harder to shoplift as the package is bigger than the product inside.

Despite their convenience, clamshells are a significant contributor to plastic waste. They are single-use plastics and while they can be recycled, few are in the US. This is partly because they aren't being collected, and if they are, most existing material recovery facilities can't sort them from other materials.

There is a growing demand for recycled clamshells, particularly in the food industry, but this can only be met if more clamshells are collected and recycled.

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