How can I recycle plastic food containers?

Question

I try to either buy food not packaged in these - or to re-use them in any way I can - but its not always possible. The council takes plastic bottles for recycling but not plastic or polystyrene food trays or boxes which seem to just go into land-fill.

Does anyone know of any organisation collecting them either for use or reprocessing/recycling?

Answer 1

Aloha,

Check the website www.recyclehawaii.com for info on recycling plastics and where you can take them. I know they take #1,2 and 5 so far.

Good luck

Answer 2

An aunt used to collect them herself.  She never bought paper-plates, but used clean meat trays instead.  That was in the days before the absorbent liner was bonded directly to the surface.  It may be harder to disinfect them now.  

I do not know of a recycling effort, but you can use them for household tasks - craft and  paint trays, cushions for mailing items, trays for organizing items in shallow drawers, etc.  Egg trays are great for children to sort small items into.

http://www.obviously.com/recycle/guides/...

This seems like a pretty simple guide.  It doesn't mention styrofoam.

Answer 3

I live at  Happy Trails RV resort in Surprise, Arizona and we collect plastic containers and sell them to Poly-link International in Phoenix.  This has been very popular with our residents