According to the EPA, REUSE and REDUCE are the most preferred methods(followed by recycling, composting, incineration, landfilling).
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Reusing is more environmentally-responsible than
recycling. Recycling requires energy, equipment, and other resources.
Materials must be collected, transported, cleaned, sorted, and
reprocessed in order to be converted into new products. -
Reusable containers breed success: Providing consumers
with a reusable polypropylene container has led to an increase in sales
for companies such as Hillshire Farms, Butterball, Healthy Ones, and
others. A large number of food processors have turned to reusable
containers. Containers made of the same material as many food storage
containers sold on department stores and supermarket shelves. -
KFC Reusable Sides Container. 2010 Greener Package
Award: Anchor Packaging designed and produced. The first quick-serve
restaurant takeout container that has been specifically designed to be
consumer-reusable, and made of the same materials as the leading food
storage containers being sold on retail store shelves. -
Consumers prefer reusable containers over recyclable or
biodegradable containers. A large restaurant chain found through a
series of consumer focus groups that their customers would rather reuse
a container, instead of recycling. -
Consumers have been found to re-use these containers for up to 6
months.
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Heat-tolerant. Polypropylene containers work in microwaves, under heat lamps, and in
warming units up to 230 F. Most Biodegradable plastic products are not
designed to be heat-tolerant. -
Save Energy and Time.
With microwavable, reusable polypropylene containers. Review the
attached article for a Comparison of Microwave heating and Conventional Oven heating. -
Durable and Leak-resistant.
Heat and eat right from the container, without cutting, tearing, or
breaking. -
Dishwasher-safe. Clean up one container. Freezer to microwave to dishwasher to kitchen
cabinet for use again.
And after a reusable
polypropylene takeout container
is reused a number of times, it may be eligible for recycling. To find a
recycling center near you, visit
www.earth911.com, and type in “#5” or “POLYPROPYLENE” and your “zip code” in the 2 search
boxes under FIND RECYCLING CENTERS.>
