Did you know that on average, 25% of the total weight of an Easter egg consists of packaging? Whilst mostly decorative, you can argue that the plastic casing is essential for ensuring that the chocolate eggs do not break in transport. Without this, there would likely be much more food and packaging waste due to ‘defective’ products.
Thankfully, brands like Mars, Nestle, Cadbury’s and M&S have been doing their part over the last decade to ensure that Easter egg packaging is as ‘green’ as possible. That means that you’ll be happy to hear that most of your Easter egg packaging can be recycled, no problem!
Easter egg boxes are made from cardboard, so all you need to do is flatten your box before putting it directly in the recycling bin.
The plastic mould
The plastic mould that holds the egg in place is made from PET – the same as regular plastic water bottles. Like is recommended for all plastic recyclables, you should ensure that the mould is free from chocolate residue before adding to your recycling. You can rinse the plastic if necessary.
Foil
Many people are still confused about whether or not you can recycle foil, but you will be pleased to hear that foil sheets and trays are widely recyclable in the UK. Like with plastic, make sure to wipe away any chocolate smears before scrunching the foil packaging into a ball and adding to your recycling bin.
What Easter packaging can’t be recycled?
It is not uncommon for Easter eggs to include additional branded chocolate bars apart from the egg itself. Unfortunately, these wrappers will need to be thrown in your general waste.
If your Easter egg features a film ‘window’ on the front, then this piece of film is also not recyclable. You will need to separate the window from the box before you can recycle the carboard as normal.
W&S is one of the leading recycling companies in the UK, offering a comprehensive range of sustainable services including plastic, paper, glass and WEEE recycling and skip hire for both private homes and businesses. To find out more about our services, or if you have questions about how you can recycle more this new year, contact our friendly team today on 01202 675564.
