Assuming my municipality accepts it, are they actually being recycled?

I see them being touted as recyclable. However, it seems like it would be difficult and resource-intensive to recycle but I’m not a recycling expert.

  • bstix@feddit.dk
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    15 days ago

    Technically they’re “downcyclable”. The materials can be separated and used for other purposes, but they’re not “cycled” back into being another tetrapak.

    It’s also a very energy intensive procedure so even if it’s possible to use some of the materials again, it’s by no means as environmentally friendly as products that can be recycled for their purpose. Take for instance glass bottles and aluminium cans, they can both be recycled into glass bottles and aluminium cans.

    Some places also reuse glass bottles by cleaning them. This also costs energy, but not as much as grinding it down and heating it to produce new glass.

    Aluminium cans are probably the best single use beverage container as of now.

    The best one is not to get one in the first place. Reduce, reuse, recycle, reclaim.

    Tetrapak is in the “reclaim”.

    Carrying a personal reusable water bottle is a good idea, because it reduces the production of singular use containers.