Tip #45: Can I recycle paper cups, paper takeout containers, and frozen food boxes?
These items cannot be recycled. Paper cups (e.g., soda fountain cups, coffee cups, tiny watercooler cups) and takeout food containers (think Chinese food containers) are coated in plastic to keep them from leaking. Frozen food boxes such as those used for frozen vegetables or prepared meals are sprayed with a thin layer of plastic to protect the food. That plastic means these items can’t be pulped and made into recycled paper. Juice boxes and milk cartons are also coated in plastic and should go in the trash.
A few manufacturers do make paper cups or plates that are coated in wax instead of plastic. Wax-coated plates are not recyclable, but can be composted.
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This recycling tip is brought to you by the Transfer Station Committee.
Editor’s Note: To gain entry to Harvard’s Transfer Station and empty trash, residents must purchase an $80 sticker. The sticker entitles its holder to dispose of recyclable glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles, and books at no charge. But residents must purchase specially marked bags to dispose of nonrecyclable materials. These are available at the Harvard General Store, Harvard Outdoor Power Equipment, Westward Orchards (June through December), Bolton Orchards in Bolton, Moore's in Ayer, and Shop ’n Save in Ayer. The Press publishes these weekly tips to help readers reduce the volume of their trash, while increasing the volume they recycle.
