Thursday, January 28, 2010

Are 'foil' yogurt and applesauce lids recyclable?

Maybe it's only me who wondered this, but have you noticed the foil lids on yogurt and those little applesauce containers seem to be not just aluminum foil but also a layer of plastic that the company uses to write its name and other info on? Are these foil lids recyclable, or not because they're not pure aluminum? I asked Stonyfield, and here's their reply:

"To answer your question regarding whether the foil lids are recyclable, it depends on the type of recycling services available in your community. The foil seal is made from a layer of aluminum foil, coated with plastic. If your community recycles only aluminum cans and no aluminum foil, it is unlikely that they will accept the seal for recycling. The best way to find out is to ask your recycler. If they do not accept them you may send your clean cups and lids to the following for recycling:"

Preserve Gimme 5
823 NYS Rte 13
Cortland, NY 13045

More details: http://www.preserveproducts.com/recycling/mail.html

4 comments:

  1. Oh I love it! We recently got a new 'co-mingling' recycling bin and with it we're able to recycle so much more stuff. We can do foil now, you think that means I can recycle the foil lids with the plastic coating?

    Also, Stonyfield really said you can mail back the foil lids?? I already mail them my plastic lids, that would be awesome if I could just include the foil ones too!

    And I thought I was the only one who was hung up on those little lids. Thanks for this post!

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  2. Hi! Yup, if you can do foil now, you can recycle the foil lids!

    Does Stonyfield even use plastic lids anymore? If you have a Whole Foods near you, you can drop your plastic cups and plastic lids there and save yourself shipping costs.

    Every little bit counts! Thanks for caring!

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  3. They have them on the 32 oz. containers and my kids go through those like fiends! I don't have a Whole Foods but I've read about the Gimme 5 mail back program and I'm collecting stuff from my friends to send in one big shipment. Or maybe I should see if anyone is going to be near a Whole Foods on a trip or something, I can send the stuff with them...kinda like Kramer and Newman...haha.

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  4. Oh oh, duh, the 32 oz. containers, of course. Fantastic that you're gathering stuff from your friends for a mass mailing! That's what I used to do, too, before the program got started at Whole Foods.

    They seem to have changed the address where they want you to send stuff: http://www.preserveproducts.com/recycling/mail.html

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