Recycling #5 plastic
From YEEC member Victoria Simon:
Plastic containers with the #5 on the bottom like yogurt and cottage cheese containers are not recyclable in York. I called Stonyfield Farms and they will take cleaned yogurt containers packaged up and mailed to the address located on the container and recycle them. They will send you a coupon for yogurt to defray the cost of shipping.
I plan to do this for my household. I wonder if there would be broader interest to do this collectively somehow. Ideas?
I will also make calls to other companies packaging with #5 and see if they have recycling programs.
January 24th, 2010 at 8:16 am
It appears that #5 containers can be dropped off at select locations through Stonyfield’s “Gimme 5″ program. Unfortunately, the only Maine location is the Whole Foods Market in Portland. Mailing information is also available at their web site: http://www.preserveproducts.com/recycling/gimme5.html.
January 24th, 2010 at 11:12 am
It seems many schools also host this program. I think Beach Pea Bakery in Kittery, which is very committed to reducing/reusing, also maintains a drop-off bin. The other alternative is to reduce your consumption of #5 plastic by making your own yogurt — an easy process and the makers are inexpensive.
January 26th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
I think that idea of Debra will work out. But I hope we have some more alternatives when it comes to reusing or recycling plastic # 5. I am sure a lot of people are now aware about this.