Packaging

Toy packaging is troublesome to recycle if not next to impossible. For one you must know what can be recycled and what cannot. There are different numbers on plastics and you need to know which ones the collectors will recycle. For the most part packaging for toys and other items are not recyclable so you my feel like you are doing good by putting it in with your coke bottles but it won't be recycled it will be trashed and chances are along with the recyclables stuff. Plastics that have a small bottle neck like soda bottles and milk bottles can be recycled. But all other plastics cannot. Like your yougurt cups, tubs used for butter, baggies, take out food containers. So that pretty much makes all of the plastic in toy packaging ineligible for the recycle bin. Now when it comes to the cardboard boxes that can be tricky too. and not quite sure myself on this one so i always put it in the recycle unless it is obvious it has a thick plastic coating on the cardboard. As far a recycling goes in general.... I do a couple of things. I look at packaging before I buy a product and a lot of times especially with food items that I will want to buy again I make a decision based on if it can be recycled or how much packaging comes with it. I also have written letters (emails) to manufactures of toys such as Mattel and Disney and told them to cut down on the packaging. These are companies along with others that cater to kids and we should pressure them to make their toys and their packaging more earth friendly. I also buy products based on what they are made out of. But that is for another blog.